Dare You to Move
by j8isf8
Summary: Set after the Season 3 fall finale. What happens when Kate and Sawyer return from the Others camp and Jack is left behind, with much protest from Kate. Jate.
1. Chapter 1

_Alright. Here is my baby, Dare You to Move. I have been working extremely hard on this one so I hope you enjoy it. It is also posted on LF but I have decided to place it on here as well. This is the best writing I have done in a very long time, but I know it is not perfect. So I accept all opinions on this piece, no matter what you have to say, say it. I apologize for very emotional Kate and somewhat nice Sawyer. I have tried to stay as true to their characters as I can, yet I also decided to make some changes. This takes place after the Season 3 fall finale. It is a wee bit spoilery, so if you have no idea what went on, and don't want to find out, DON'T READ IT. Well, after saying that, I really hope you enjoy. _

_-Toni _

* * *

Jack Shephard, man of science now longed to be a man of faith. He wished he could have faith in her when he so clearly couldn't anymore. Just hearing her voice over that walkie-talkie made him break more than he already had. At first, when she had said his name he wasn't quite sure he could respond back. But he did, forcing himself to just let that one syllable escape his lips, let her know he is there. And when she said she couldn't leave without him…he knew how she felt. Had he really agreed with Ben that he was getting off this island if he saved him? How could he just up and leave her like that, when she had been the reason he was still alive on the hell-hole.

Sawyer.

That's why he could leave her, that's why he was going to leave her. He needed to escape from the ora she had about her, it consumed him with all its light and love. The utter pain he felt seeing them together was unbearable. It felt as if his whole world, his whole existence was ripped out right from underneath him. It was worse than anything he had ever experienced. Not with Sarah, and not with his father. And he just knew Ben could see the tears about the cascade down his cheeks after he saw him cradling her, and if Ben would have entered that room a few seconds later they would have surely fallen.

"I CAN'T JACK!" Kate screams, voice shaking worse than before into the walkie-talkie. Her heart was clearly screaming for him, yearning for him, beating for him, about to explode if he didn't get in her arms soon, she could feel it.

"WHY KATE, WHY WONT YOU RUN?" Jack is just getting plain angry at this point. He wants to just throw something to let all his aggression out, but besides valued medical equipment there really is nothing that deserves a good tossing. Except for maybe Ben's body clear across there floor, after all he is the one who got him into this mess to begin with.

"BECAUSE I…" Kate starts but then her eyes dart to Sawyer strained face. She looks at him just long enough to see that he is piercing daggers into her flesh. She knows it would hurt and she didn't want to cause anyone else pain. She had hurt too many in her life she couldn't stand to hurt another. But this could save Jack; this could bring Jack back with them…with her.

"BECAUSE YOU WHAT KATE? WHY WON'T YOU RUN IT? IT'S THE ONLY WAY!" Jack screams yet again into the small device. His hands shaking fiercely as tears are threatening to fall. He is becoming extremely impatient. There goes her damn stubbornness getting in the way again. He would think it would be easy to leave him, easy for her to run; after all that's what she does. Besides, she has Sawyer. He shudders at the thought.

Kate, on the other hand already had tears pooling from her eyes down her soft yet worn cheeks.

Then all Jack could hear was her delicately whisper something. He couldn't make out what she had said, and she prayed no one else had heard either. But unfortunately everyone near the cages heard those words escape from her mouth and watched her actions as she said it. How she clenched the walkie-talkie like it was about to be ripped from her fingers, knuckles turning white from the force. How her salty tears, along with the rain were staining the radio's hard black exterior. And the way her eyes lit up saying it, through all the tears it was still so noticeable. She had said it so soft and gentle, like she was protecting those delicate words from reaching anyone's ears except the tall, handsome, heroic doctor on the other end.

She couldn't meet Sawyer's eyes after that, not knowing if he had heard her or not. Praying he didn't but at the same time hoping he did.

"GO DAMNIT, YOU NEED TO GO." He to the point of begging now. Hoping just this once, she will actually listen. Hoping she understands he is just trying to save her.

"Jack please don't make me go. I just can't. I can't go without you." Kate's on the verge of complete hysterics at this point. Everyone around notices she looks as if she's about to just burst into a million pieces. This is just too much for her to handle.

"Kate you have to. Get yourself and Sawyer out of there. I will be okay." He lied. Knowing as soon as Ben was well, he sure as hell wouldn't be.

"What if you're not?" Kate asks sensing the uncertainty in his voice.

"You have to believe that I will. Remember to radio me." The line went dead. He needed to shut it off, he couldn't listen to her anymore otherwise he might have spontaneously combusted right there in the middle of the operating theater. Hearing her break over leaving him was too much, especially with the nagging voice in the back of his head constantly reminding him of Sawyer and of how he was leaving. He was going home.

"Jack? JACK? NO!" Kate pleaded into the hundred small holes on the sleek black communication device. Hoping he could somehow hear her again. Hoping he would turn it back on just so she could hear his voice one more time, praying it wouldn't be the last.

And then suddenly it came back on like all her hopes had been answered for that fleeting moment.

"J…Jack?" Kate asks praying to anyone that would listen that it was in fact him on the other end.

Then she hears his strong, sturdy voice. "One." She takes in the sound. The soothing tone and the way just that single word could calm a thousand of her worries.

"T…two." She says shakily into the device. Hands and body both trembling. Her entire being needing the feeling of his safe arms wrapped around her tiny figure. She would give anything for the chance to be lost in those arms, just once.

"Three." They say together. Fear resounding in both their voices.

"Four." They speak together again, a bit stronger than the last. Sawyer watches on intrigued, enthralled, and yet enraged at how hearing just one word from Jack could send her into a fit of sobs or calm her entire being.

"Five." They say with strength and courage. Something neither had felt since that day on the docks when they peered into each others soul. Taking each other in one last time, not knowing if they would ever get that chance again.

"I'm coming for you." Kate says quietly but loud enough for Jack to hear.

"Don't." He bluntly states. "It's not safe."

"But Jack I can't…"

"We are not starting this again Kate, just go." He says harshly as he turns off the small black box in his hands. His head drops to his chest, feeling that probably will be the second to last they ever spoke again. He had a feeling once he saved Ben it was the end for him. Hell he pretty much knew it was the end.

She didn't stop sobbing after he had shut off the speaker. Sawyer just watched her, wondering where her heart truly lied, but at the same time having a feeling it wasn't with him. He watched as she held the walkie-talkie protectively close to her chest like it was a small child she was keeping safe from the winter chill. He knew they would have to kill her to get that thing back, and even then they would have to try to pry it from her cold dead fingers.

Suddenly, just hearing his voice gave her more strength than she thought she had left in her. After being worked and starved she was so frail and she knew it. But somehow she felt like her old self. She quickly elbowed the guy's nose who was standing behind her with so much force he fell to the ground unconscious. Sawyer took this as his opportunity to attack Pickett, something which he had been thirsting to do ever since that first beating.

Sawyer first slugged him hard in the stomach, quickly moving upwards to his face. He reeled punches one after the other until he heard a crack. Pickett had nothing against the anger Sawyer had in those two fists of his. He beat the hard-ass man to a bloody pulp.

Kate runs over to him, having knocked out two other men with a large rock, and grabs him up off the ground. Sawyer takes Kate in his arms, thankful they are okay. He realizes she doesn't return the hug and almost immediately pushes him away grabbing two guns and some ammo off of the others. She heads off in the opposite direction of where they are supposed to go.

"Now where in the hell do you think you're goin'?" Sawyer sneers. "Or do I even have to ask?"

Kate glares at him. "I'm going to get him, I'm going to save him." She states with pure determination.

"Of course you are…but you heard what the Doc said, it's not safe."

"That's why we have these." Kate says tossing a gun towards Sawyer. He grabs it and then starts to shake his head to protest but she's already over thirty steps ahead of him.

"Death mission five-hundred and twenty seven since we've been on this God-damned island." Sawyer states to himself.

* * *

Jack grabs Juliet roughly by the arms and pulls out the gun he stole holding it to her neck.

"Where did you get…"

He cuts her off by pushing the cold metal further into her neck. He drags her down the corridor to the newly abandoned surveillance room. He pans his eyes over the many screens until he sees' her figure. He recognizes her in an instant. She's going the wrong way, she's coming for him.

"Damn it Kate." Jack says flattered and disappointed at the exact same time.

"She sure seems hell bent on getting you back, Jack." Juliet sneers.

He turns Juliet so he can look in her eyes. "Live together, die alone."

Juliet slowly nods. "You know they are going to go after them. Danny won't give up. She will get hurt and he will get dead, or possibly both just dead."

Jack pauses and looks down, defeated. "If they so much touch a hair on her…"

He's cut off by Juliet's lips forcefully on his own. For a second Jack almost gives in, until her face crosses his mind and he pushes Juliet harshly away.

"Why did you do that?"

"I don't know. It just seemed…"

"IT SEEMED LIKE WHAT?" Anger rages through Jacks voice now. He pins her against the wall. She can see the vein in his forehead bulging.

Juliet stays strangely calm. "What do you see in her Jack?"

His eyes get soft but his grip doesn't lessen.

"I mean she's a fugitive, she killed her father, got her childhood sweetheart killed, was a complete whore on the run, always using men, and she never told anyone her real name." She pauses as she notices his grip starting to loosen. "With the exception of you." She gives a sly smirk. "Tell me Jack, did you see them?"

Suddenly his strength is back and she is shoved into the wall.

"I guess she made her choice." Jacks head falls down as a single tear leaks from his eye, not going unnoticed by Juliet. "I thought she loved you like you love her. Poor Jack Shephard, always the one getting left, never doing the leaving. No one ever stays, do they Jack?" She stops and brings her hand to his, caressing the callous palm with her thumb. "I will never leave you Jack, I will stay. I will not break you Jack Shephard."

His hands fall to his side as he takes in a deep breath, sighing at the air escapes his unsteady lungs. "Go back to the room…now." The words seethe out of his mouth as he raises the gun to her head yet again. Juliet simply nods as the two head back to the operating theater.

* * *

There is a rustling in the bushes. Kate and Sawyer's heads fly towards the disturbance. The young girl they've come to know as Alex springs out and runs up to Kate, grabbing her roughly by the arms. "You can't save him now; you have to run for it." The young girl pleads to Kate.

She looks at the girl in horror as her lip begins to quiver.

"I will do all in my power to get the Doctor back to you, but I cannot make any promises. They are going to be extremely upset about this and who knows what they will do to him."

"Freckles we have to leave." Sawyer says looking back towards the cages where the men are slowly starting to regain consciousness.

"No. Not without Jack?" Kate says peering into the young girl's eyes then flipping around to face Sawyer. "He wouldn't leave me."

"You have to leave him behind, you can't save him." Alex states grabbing Kate's arms tighter. "I promise you I will try everything to get him out of here."

Tears are still pouring from Kate's eyes, each one feeling like another piece of hope being ripped from her soul.

"Common freckles?" Sawyer grabs her and begins to drag her in the direction of the beach.

"Wait, start going north until you hit the purple flower trees, then take a left until you reach the shore and then a right to find your camp."

Sawyer looks at her quizzically. "Well Pocahontas, hate to be the one to burst your bubble but we're on a different island."

"No we're not…cowboy…It was just a trick to keep you from escaping." She starts to sneak away so no one can see her. "Be careful." She calls out once before she disappears into the brush.

"Of course it was." Sawyer drones out latching himself onto Kate's arm. She is still a complete mess, holding onto that device for dear life.

They start to run just in time. Pickett wakes up fully and heads back to the hatch to get more guns. "What are you doing, he is going to let Ben die if you do anything to them." The man who held Kate at gunpoint earlier states.

Pickett ignores the man and heads for the gun cabinet.


	2. Chapter 2

The door to the medical hatch flies open as Pickett and the others enter. They look through the halls cautiously so Jack doesn't see what they are about to do and head to the gun room. Picket grabs a pistol and the other man grabs a shotgun. The rest take what is left. "Let's go!" Pickett exclaims at the men head back out the hatch and into the dense, soaked, jungle.

* * *

"So you will even become a murderer for her? I didn't know you had it in you Jack." Tom states. "Especially after she screwed that good for nothin' redneck."

Jack bites his lip. He is not going to say shit to them until he knows Kate is safe. He in all honesty did not know if he is ever going to see Kate again. His heart wrenched at the idea. Hell, he might not even hear her voice again either if this all falls through. If something ends up happening to her because of this plan of his, he has no idea what he would do if he knew he caused her death.

He needs to know she's alright, that when she gets safe she will stay safe. He needs to know Sawyer will protect her with all he has, that he too will lay down his life for her. He needs to know she will feel loved like she deserves and make sure it never stops. He needs to know Sawyer will be giving everything Sawyer can possibly give to their relationship. And he absolutely needs to know if she is happy with the choice she made, no doubts or backing out. Oh how he wished she would have chose him instead of Sawyer, because unlike Sawyer he knew he would go to the moon and back for her. He had no way of finding out if Sawyer is going to treat her right or anything like that. Has he even told her about Ana? That was only a few days back and now he's fucking Kate's brains out in a cage. He hoped Kate didn't know and that she would never find out. If she truly loved Sawyer that would just tear her up inside to the point of insanity. And no matter what Kate has done to him, no matter how many times she has received his heart and shoved it right back down his throat, he never wanted her to feel the way he does right now, in this moment.

He leans against the cool wall and stares at that clock. In reality it had only been fifteen minutes but in all it seemed like an absolute eternity. Jack waited impatiently as the clink of the scalpel hitting the table sent his mind into a frenzy of annoyance. So he starts to pace. If there was ever an award for the world's best pacer, Jack Shephard would win it. It's what cleared his mind. He needed to be in movement. Unlike Kate he liked all typed of movement, not just running. He just needs to preoccupy himself that gets his heart racing and he could think up an answer to almost anything. Except one person he could never find an answer for. Because this one person was the most complicated being he has ever come across. She completely fascinated him. Her complete mess of a person that she is draws him to her. It was like she couldn't be fixed, and for once he didn't even want to attempt fixing her. He adored her just the way she was. She was almost like magic in his eyes. The way she could read him like an open book astounded him. No one could ever do that, not even his ex-wife. The way she can turn him on completely with that one tone she does when she is attempting to flirt. It is completely sexual, yet so innocent at the same time. And the way he can picture her in his mind, no matter where he is, or no matter the last time he saw her. He can conjure up every sparkle that resides in her eyes, every freckle on her cheek, and every crease above her nose that appears when she is genuinely smiling. And he loved he could do that. He couldn't even remember his wife in that much detail after a day at work. And even after almost five days he could still picture every little thing about her.

* * *

Tears were still cascading randomly down her soft face, wind blowing them almost in her ears. Kate could tell that Sawyer was getting tired. He wasn't use to so much running. So she stopped and leant against the nearest tree. She would give almost anything for a bottle of water, and she would give even more to have Jack right here, with her.

She can feel Sawyers eyes scanning her. It's not in his usual checking her out sort of way. She can feel him just searching, searching her face for answers. Seeing if he can even get the slightest glimpse of her true self. But he eventually lets out an exasperated sigh signaling defeat. He must have not found what he was looking for. Kate slowly slinks down, the bark digging into her back but at this point she really didn't care. She had too much else on her mind than to worry about a few scratches.

She looked across the small clearing at Sawyer who was holding himself up against a tree, it looked as if any minute he was about to pass out. She wouldn't blame him; that had been a lot of running even for her. Then her mind started to trail off to something else, someone else. Someone she had been thinking about the entire run. For the first time in her life it had called for running, yet her feet couldn't seem too unattached from the spot they had been in. She actually wanted to stay... for him. So much danger but she would risk it all…just for him. So what does she do, she gets up and starts to run…to him.

She can hear Sawyer call after her but she doesn't care. She needs to save him. She knows she can do something, she just doesn't know what yet.

* * *

The pacing really seems to be getting to her. She watches him walk back and forth from wall to wall and every once and a while he can hear an exasperated sigh and it lightens his spirits.

"Jack…do you have to pace?" Juliet asks him with irritation in her voice.

"It's what I do." He says with a slight smirk. Liking the fact that he is slowly getting under her skin.

There is a lengthy pause before another word is spoken.

"I know Danny is going to go after them, he wants to kill James and have Kate watch while doing so. So she can feel the pain of him in front of her eyes just as he did with Colleen." She stops. "But it won't be the same."

Jack looks up at her curious as all hell.

"If he really wanted that effect he would have chosen to kill you." She said with a sly smile. But then her eyes grew soft. "I'm going after them Jack."

Jacks eyes widen at the words and the gun is immediately pointed straight at her.

"Not like that Jack. Put the gun down." She states coolly

Jack slowly does as she requests. "Why are you going after them?"

She takes in a deep breath. "To save them, so you can save Ben."

Jack looks around the room as if he is deciding to let her go. Finally he meets her eyes and nods. "Please save her." Jack pleads.

"Thank you, Jack. I'll try." Juliet says with the sincerity she's good at, as she heads out the door.

* * *

"FRECKLES YOU CANT GO BACK!" Sawyer yells trying his hardest to catch up with the speeding girl.

Kate stops dead in her tracks and turns around to face an out-of-breath Sawyer.

"And why the hell can't I?" She shouts coming towards him aggressively. Looking as if she is about to pound his face in.

"Because they will probably threaten to kill you in front of him so he finishes the operation."

"He would come back for me." She says with a quivering bottom lip.

Sawyer comes up to her and places his sweaty hands on the soft skin that resides on her shoulders, holding them tightly as if to stop her from taking off with a mad dash yet again.

"Freckles we gotta get back to the beach, the Doc probably isn't going to survive this if we try to break him out or not. It's better to lose just one person than two." The second he finishes that statement he regrets it ever left his mouth. Her entire being starts to quiver as the tears cascade rapidly down her cheeks.

She looks towards the jungle floor and lets out a defeated sigh. "I can't leave him."

Sawyer huffs. "Well, I hate to burst your bubble but you have to. You can't go after him now Freckles…it's too dangerous. When we get back to the beach we will have everyone join in on a master plan or some shit like that. Then I promise you we will go back to get him." He sighs knowing how much Jack means to her but not wanting to admit it out loud.

"You promise?" She raises her head to meet his stare. There are tears in her eyes and she looks like a little lost puppy.

"Yeah, yeah I promise." Sawyer says with a brief nod.

Suddenly bullets start whizzing past their heads. "RUN!" Sawyer screams at Kate and pushes her in the direction of the beach. And this time Kate immediately does as she is told.

They run for what seems like hours until Kate unexpectedly trips on a tree-root that is sticking straight up out of the ground and gashes her knee open, hearing a crack as well. Blood starts to pool out of it yet it's not the first thought on her mind. She just so happened to land on the top of a high cliff and the radio had flown off the side. Kate flies up after it, ignoring the searing pain that is shooting through her entire limb at the moment.

Sawyer caught up to her and saw the blood trail leading up to the side of the cliff.

"Fuck." Is all Kate could let escape her mouth as she looks down at the walkie-talkie which is balancing on a root that sticks out from the wall of stones.

"Damn it freckles what happened?" Sawyer asks glancing back and forth from Kate to the jungle.

"It…it's just a little out of reach." Kate moans as she stretches her arm towards the radio the furthest she can possibly reach it.

Sawyer slowly scoots towards the edge and looks down. "That's a lot more than just a little out of reach Freckles." He says as he too tries to reach it.

Bullets start to fly as Kate starts to climb.

"WHAT THE HELL YOU THINK YOU'RE DOIN'?" Sawyer asks while ducking from the raiding bullets.

"What does it look like I'm doing; I'm getting the radio back." Kate states, determination evident in her voice.

She slowly lowers herself over the unsteady ledge. Rocks fall from underneath her small body. She starts to fall with them until she feels Sawyers hand tightly grasping her arm. The tightness of his grip hurts her but she overlooks it as he helps lower her down the cliff-side. It's much further down that she thought. It's far enough down that Sawyer can no longer reach her, causing her to climb the rest of the way down. Which was such a difficult task since she could barely put any weight on her right leg which was dripping blood down into the water below.

Suddenly, the branch she and the walkie-talkie were on started to snap. Kate quickly reached for the device shoving it in her pocket. The branch gave way and fell in to the depths of the ocean as Kate is left hanging onto the sharp rocks sticking out far enough to grab onto. Sawyer quickly holds his hand down to her seeing what a pickle she has gotten herself into.

She starts to panic but then instinctively starts to count.

"One… Two… Three… Four… Five."

Her hand suddenly flies onto another rock sticking out of the jagged side. She grabs for the next rock up while her left foot fumbles to find something to step on. She uses all the strength she has and hoists herself up. Not able to use her right leg from all the pain shooting through it. She continues to climb. Pushing herself hard. Finally she reaches the ledge and Sawyers arms as he begins to hoist her up.

"Jesus woman, you're gonna get yourself killed for that thing." He smirks as he continues to raise her up to the top.

Kate just glares at him. He gives her a smirk and a nod as he raises her over the ledge.

Completely exhausted and out of breath they take a few seconds to regain composure until Kate notices something unusual about her surroundings. "What happened to the gunshots?"

They both raise their heads slowly and steadily. They are completely surrounded; Pickett had found more of his friends to come after them. Twelve sleek black guns were pointed at their still, terrified bodies.

"GET UP!" Pickett yells coldly at the two escapees.

Sawyer stands and looks down towards Kate, sympathetically.

"I CAN'T." She calls out to them, trying not to let her voice crack from the absolute fear she was experiencing.

"AND WHY THE HELL CAN'T YOU?" He yells back, anger so strong in his voice she could almost feel it infecting her wounded leg. He starts to come closer.

"It's my knee, it's banged up pretty bad." She states almost in tears, as the pain finally escalates to what it was supposed to be if it wasn't for the mental shield she had put up when she was gathering the radio from the cliff side no less than two minutes ago.

Pickett starts to inch closer to Kate. Holding his gun towards Sawyer but keeping his eyes trained on the fugitive.

Once he reaches Kate, the guns position changes so that it is now pointed directly to Kate's head.

She lets a fearful gasp escape from her trembling lips. Her mind was completely void of any thoughts by that point. "He won't save him if you do this. He's going to die."

"So will you're beloved Doctor." Pickett then cocks the gun. It's so loud in her ear it seems as if it is literally pounding her eardrum.

Kate swallows hard as she tried her hardest to keep the tears from falling. She trying to put up a front of strength, unfortunately Pickett and his men can see straight through her like crystal.

"What the hell do you think you're doin'?" Sawyer attempts to break free of the men who are now gripping him tightly and lunge at Pickett, but it is of no use.

"I'm just killing two birds with one stone." Pickett states harshly through clenched teeth. "I harm you and the Doctor at the same time. After what he's doing to Ben he deserves to lose the woman he loves."

A tear escapes from behind Kate's broken eyes hearing this. She didn't want to ever hurt anyone ever again. Now she is about to hurt the two people she cares about most in this messed up world.

He slowly pulls the trigger back making these few distinct moments prolonged and unbearable for all who stood watching.

The loud shot was heard. It rang through Sawyers ears like a church bell through the streets on Easter Sunday. He looked away the second it happened, not wanting to see her frail lifeless body fall to the hard rocky ground that sat beneath them.

But finally he brings himself to look. He sees' her trembling figure staring down at a bloody Pickett. He quickly raises his eyes to a silhouette he sees out of the corner of his eye. It is the blond chick, Juliet. Her body is solid and still, the gun is still aimed towards Pickett's inanimate form.

"Release them and get back to the site, NOW!" Juliet orders all the men around, and to Sawyer and Kate's surprise they all did as they were told, all tense and fearful. Three men head towards Pickett's body and lift him up; they disappear into the crowded jungle leaving Juliet.

Juliet slowly saunters over to Sawyer and Kate. "He is with Colleen now. He's happy." She says more to reassure herself than either of the two before her. But she still keeps a caring yet stone appearance about her.

"Why…Why did you do that?" Kate shakily asks. "I thought he was on your side."

"There are no sides Kate, it is a matter of right and wrong. And we are not done with him yet, we need you alive so he can finish. And after that…" She pauses. Usually she is so strong but she appears as if she is breaking. They watch as she takes in a slow breath. "After that I will try everything in my power to save him. It won't be easy but I will try."

"WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO TO HIM?" Kate demands as she attempts to stand only to fail miserably clutching her knee to try and stop the blood that is flowing effortlessly out of her knee.

Juliet gulps once. "I'm not sure, but it's going to be bad… I'm sorry Katherine."

Kate takes in a shaky breath.

"Take care you two." Juliet says as she turns around to start her journey back to the havoc in the operating theater. She turns back one last time. "Oh and Kate."

Kate looks up into the blond woman's eyes.

"Remember to radio."

Not able to do anything else Kate simply nods. Over a thousand things that they could do to him are going through her mind at this very instant. She looks towards Sawyer with worried eyes and he sees the same emotion in his vivid blue eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

Sawyer goes to Kate, kneeling beside her on the rock-hard ground, and rips off the sleeve of his worn and dirty shirt. "I didn't think I would ever say this, but you need Jack." Sawyer says with a warm smile.

"In more ways than one." Kate whispers so Sawyer couldn't hear.

"You know you are a horrible whisperer Freckles." He smiles sadly as he ties the fabric around her swollen and bloody knee.

She looks down guilty while cringing at the amount of pain that was overpowering her entire leg at the moment.

"Sorry. We need to get you back to camp so Moonbeam can treat this nasty ass cut. I don't want it gettin' infected so let's hurry."

Kate looks up into his eyes. He genuinely cares for her and she is grateful for that. "Thank you Sawyer." She says as he helps her up. She yelps in pain as soon as any force is put on her leg.

Sawyer winces afraid he is the one hurting her even though he knows it is the wound and not anything he has done. But he feels there is somehow he can help more, and what scares him most is that he really wants to. Damn he hates that he is going soft for this woman.

* * *

Jack jumps up as she enters the dark room. "Is she okay?" He asks coming towards her. He runs into the trey or medical supplies, knocking it over, causing a loud clang to echo around the room. One of the men who was helping with the surgery had just fallen asleep, but this indubitably woke him from his slumber. His eyes plead with hers for an honest answer.

Juliet slowly shuts her eyes, opening them almost a second later. "Yeah…yeah she is now. They are both on their way back to your camp. Kate's knee is a little banged up from a fall she took but it should be alright" She smiles earnestly towards him, lips tightly closed together.

Jack thinks for a minute. Praying she is not lying and that Kate will be alright. He looks up towards Juliet again. "Thank you." He says with such compassion, something Juliet has only heard in his voice when he talks to Kate or about her. Wishing one day she could possibly have that effect on him.

She nods. "Glad to help." She heads over towards the others who are sitting up against the freezing cold wall.

"Are they close to the camp Jules?" Tom comes over and asks almost desperately.

"Almost, they are about twenty minutes out. They did a hell of a lot of running to get that far so fast but now that she's injured it's going to take a while longer. Plus they have no water." She answers.

"She still has the walkie I hope." Tom drawls out.

Juliet comes up to Toms face so as Jack cannot hear. "Do you really think she would let that thing go for a single second? It's almost as if it's super glued to her hand." Juliet says with a coy smile.

Tom just chuckles lightly. "Yeah, you're right."

She turns to face Jack. She watches as he fiddles with the volume button on the radio. He just cannot seem to wait to hear her voice again and Juliet was intrigued by it. How someone so worthless as Kate could mean so much to a man so valuable as Jack. She faces Tom once more. "Hey Tom?"

His attention is focused on the whispering woman once more.

"I was thinking."

"Aw here it goes." He groans.

"Do you agree that they both are doing the exact opposite of what they are known to do?" Juliet asks curiously.

"What are you getting at here Jules? What are they known to do?"

"Well, Kate is a runner, we all know that from her files and from just watching her and how she handles things. But when Jack told her to run she said she couldn't, and then she tried to run back to him, to save him." She pauses. "And then Jack, reading about him I've learned he is not one for letting go, but today…today he just let her go no matter how much it hurt him. And it had to be one of the hardest things I've ever seen someone do, and probably one of the hardest things he has ever done in his whole life."

"That's because he saw them, he had to let go. She chose the redneck to screw."

Juliet frowns hearing this, knowing how much this must hurt him especially after Sarah.

Tom notices Juliet sympathizing for Jack. He gives an aggravated sigh as he rolls his eyes. "Women." He moans.

* * *

He felt as if all they were doing was going up and down, never straight. For once he wanted to be walking on straight ground. Pavement would be a God-send. But no, he had to be going up and down hills and cliffs, rocks scattered everywhere and loose sticks they both would occasionally trip on. And then there were the bushes, oh how he hated the bushes and their damn thorns.

"God freckles, trekking through all this uneven land can sure make a lightweight like yourself seem like a thousand pounds." He says with a loud sigh.

"Sawyer, I'm just leaning on your shoulder." She says giving him a perplexed glance.

"Yeah well, it feels like the entire world is up there with your arm. Do you have to lean all your weight onto me? I'm still a bit beat up." He whines.

She stops and just looks at him like he's crazy. She cannot believe he is complaining at a time like this. "HAVE YOU SEEN MY LEG?!"

Oh great…here it comes. He set it off again. Now she's going to say something that reminds her of the good ole' Doc and then comes the waterworks which he finally got to shut off for a good five minutes there.

"Yeah I've seen it. And I say if you just hop the rest of the way home you should be just fine, no more pain."

Kate looks down at her leg. It has already bled through the fabric and is dripping down her calf. "We really need to get back so Sun can look at this, because Jack…Jack…"

Shit. Here it is. Even though she had been crying most of the day he still wasn't use to seeing her so vulnerable and weak. Before this whole Others experience the only time he has ever seen her cry was when Ana and Libby dies a few days ago. But soon enough her lips starts to quiver and he hears a small whimper come from her throat. He rolls his eyes mentally patting himself on the back for totally calling this break down. Even though it was fairly obvious because she just so happens to break down every five minutes anyways.

But this time it was different.

This time it wouldn't shut off.

He tried to console her best he could, but heck, he was never that good with the whole comforting thing. He assumes that is where the Doc comes in.

He takes her over to sit on a large rock that is sitting in a small clearing they have come into. He goes in front of her, squatting down so his face can be somewhat level with hers. And he didn't say a word. He just grabbed tightly onto her hands and let her cry it out, knowing that she has to stop sometime…hopefully.

But eventually the waterworks stop falling and all that is happening is inconsistent sniffles. He watches as her eyes become heavy and she slowly starts to totter from side to side.

"Common." He scoops her into his arms. "You're losing too much blood."

She nods slowly as her eyes start to shut.

"I'm no good at this whole doctor thing, and I'm probably wrong, but I think you should get some sleep." Sawyer looks down worriedly at the pale woman in his arms.

"I'm so tired." She yawns. "But I can't sleep without knowing he's alright." She strains her eyes.

"I really suggest you do Freckles, for your own well-being. And plus if you get your sleep on the way back to camp, the more energy you will have for the search party."

She nods into his shirt. "Good thinking." She says with yet another yawn, and quickly after she is asleep in his arms.

"Thank God." He almost exclaims but is afraid if he does it any louder it would wake her up. He looks down at her peaceful face. He has no idea how but tears are still lightly falling. He steps on a stick and it makes a loud crack. He pauses and looks down, praying that didn't wake her up.

"Jack." She whispers into his chest. She starts to mumble a lot of incoherent phrases until one passes from her lips that he can clearly understand "Just hold me Jack, don't you ever let go." And after it is said, he wished he hadn't heard it. He leans in and plants a kiss on her forehead.

"I don't want to fight him for you Freckles, because I know this is one I can't win." He softly says into her ear.

He was so worn out but he knew he had to get her back for her own health. Ten minutes of carrying Kate later he finally spots familiar territory. They are home. Well at least two of them are. He knows a few more steps and he will be bombarded with so many questions, the main one probably asking about their beloved Doctor. Probably not even caring what he went through and is going to go through to get both of them out of there, unharmed. Just caring because they have a cut or a bump on the head and want a professional's opinion.

He pushes through the remaining bushes and sees' a sight he never thought he would be happy to see again in his life if he could help it, the beach. The first person to spot them is Jin.

"SOYA! KATE!" Jin yells running towards them. Soon everyone else having heard him comes sprinting over as well. Then came the questions. "Where's the Doctor? Where's Jack? Where's the Doctor? What happened to Kate? Where's the Doctor? How did you get back? Where's the Doctor? Did you escape? Where's the Doctor? Did they let you go? Where's the Doctor? Where are they located? Where's the Doctor"

"EVERYONE SHUT UP!" Sawyer yells at the top of his lungs, unfortunately waking up Kate who is surprised to see they are back.

"Kate, welcome home." Sun says brushing some hair out of the disoriented woman's face. She takes in Kate's appearance and worry quickly spreads across her features. She then spots Kate's knee. "Oh Kate, I really have to fix your leg." Sun stares at the bloody mess completely shocked.

And Kate really couldn't care less; her mind was set on doing other things. Like getting Jack back.

"Put me somewhere where it is quiet" Kate beckons Sawyer to do so.

"OKAY EVERYONE, KATE NEEDS HER REST AND ONCE I PUT HER IN HER TENT DON'T BOTHER HER, SUN IS THE ONLY ONE ALOUD IN THERE. AFTER I SET HER DOWN I WILL COME BACK OUT AND ANSWER ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS."

Everyone was astounded at how much Sawyer was acting like Jack. Which all worried them that something bad had happened, plus the tearstains on Kate's cheek and the way her whole body trembled says something defiantly happened besides just an injury. Every last person feeling that those tears were about Jack and not about her knee.

Sawyer walked away leaving a confused and worried crowd behind him. Sun and Claire followed the two.

"Kate dear, can I please help. I'm sure she will need it." Claire asks kindly holding onto the brunette's shaking hand.

Kate just nods. Knowing if she says anything else something will press that Jack button and everything will come pouring out with full emotions to the entire camp. She had to keep it under control, at least until she entered her tent.

Sawyer goes in and sets her down gently. Kate takes the walkie-talkie out from her pocket and just stares at it. She could be giving Jack his death sentence by telling him he can continue the surgery. But he will get a death sentence either way and she needed to hear him. "Tell him I say hi." Sawyer smirks and then exits the tent. He meets Claire and Sun who are eagerly waiting to be aloud in. "Just give her a minute." Sawyer says with sadness as he heads back over to the rowdy crowd.

Claire and Sun lean in to hear what is going on. They can hear Kate sniffle and look towards each other with sadness. Something bad must have happened.

"J...J…Jack…Jack are you there?" She asks. Hoping the tears wouldn't come, at least not yet. But this time it didn't matter if she had hoped or not. The second she heard his voice the tears rapidly started to fall down her cheeks and onto the blanket she was now clenching too along with the radio.

"Kate? Is that you?"

She takes a deep breath. Knowing she had to calm herself so he could at least understand what she was saying.

"Yeah…yeah it's me." Her voice stricken with sadness.

He can hear the pain in her voice and he just can't bare it. Tears have now started flowing slowly down his face and onto the radio.

Tom points to his watch and glares at Jack. Time is running out quickly.

"Kate…Kate you have to tell me the story." He says almost demanding. Knowing the clock is ticking but wanting to make this conversation last forever just because it is probably going to be their last. His heart ached at the thought.

"Jack, are you alright?" She asks praying for an honest and true answer.

"Tell me the story, Kate." He ignores the question and she notices it.

"Jack…" She says through her trembles. They can each tell the other is deathly scared and breaking.

"Just tell it Kate." He tried to stay strong, but faltered when his voice let out a noticeable crack.

"You…" She clears her throat. "You were in residency. It was you're first solo procedure… she was sixteen." Tears start to pour harder and faster down her cheeks. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Go on." His loving voice came from the small object which was being death-gripped in her hands, having dropped the blanket seconds ago.

"And then…then you ripped her dural sack." Her voice starts to quiver and it soon transfers through her entire body.

"I can't believe you remembered what it was called. I couldn't even remember most of my residency." He says with a slight laugh. She can tell he's crying as well. "Finish it Kate." He says with pure sadness. Knowing once this story is over so is their everything.

"And…" She pauses. "Jack I don't want to finish it, I don't want to let you go...I just can't." She manages to get out through her sobs.

"Kate you have to." He almost pleads. Knowing this is just as hard for him as it is for her.

"I'm going to come for you; I'm going to get you out of there." It's almost as if Kate is pleading for him to agree.

"No you're not Kate, it's useless. I'm getting off this island." He regrets he said it the second the words slipped from his mouth, but he just didn't want her getting hurt. Plus he had a feeling that wasn't true anymore, and his feelings we proved right when he heard a laugh come out from deep inside of Tom's throat.

"What?" Her disbelief was evident in her voice.

"You heard me, that is what they promised me if I did the surgery." He says hiding his fear behind false strength.

"Jack please don't go." She begs.

"Why, it's not like you need me. You have Sawyer, and clearly he can satisfy all your needs." He responds bitterly.

Kate is speechless. Not knowing he knew what had happened. Her heart completely sank.

"Five days Kate, that's how long it took you to fuck him. Just five days without me there…And by the way, next time make sure you're not on camera."

"Jack please let me explain." Kate pleads into the radio slightly confused about the camera remark.

"No Kate, there's nothing to explain and It doesn't matter anymore. I'm letting go. " He takes a shaky breath. "Finish the story Kate." He says a bit stronger, more demanding.

Kate can't even speak. She completely breaks down which rips Jacks heart right of his chest knowing he caused this. Hearing her emotional sobs makes his whole being feel as if it's completely numb. And it literally pains him.

She finally starts to speak. "It…it was a mistake. I don't love him like that. I lov…"

"Finish the story Kate." He cuts her off just in time, not wanting to hear the words that were about to escape those trembling lips, knowing it would hurt him even more.

"And…and the nerves spilled out of her…like…like… I CAN'T JACK!" Her voice rises. She was losing far to much right now to let him leave without a fight.

"DAMNIT KATE JUST SAY IT!" He yells coldly into the radio. He then stops for one second to regain composure. "I need you to say it." Those defeat stricken words slowly leave his lips.

"Please don't leave me." She pleads one last time. Hoping that one last time could be the time he would turn it all around.

"I have to." He sighs. "Now finish Kate…please. I can't stand to hurt anymore."

Kate lets out a choked sob hearing this. Hearing the overwhelming pain in his usually so comforting voice. She had hurt him, no more like destroyed him, the one thing in the world she never wanted to do, especially to him. This broke her completely.

"Like angel hair pasta."

"Goodbye Kate." He clicks off his receiver before she had a chance to respond. And he swears those two words had to be the most painful thing he ever had to say in his whole fucking life.


	4. Chapter 4

The two women are both so close to literally sobbing; hearing what just went on in there broke their hearts. Knowing what now had happened. He sacrificed himself for her safety even after knowing she had screwed Sawyer. Now that was love. And they could hear the complete devastation in her voice as well, sensing she too loved him just as much as he loved her.

"Are you ready?" Sun asks Claire sadly. Claire reaches out and grabs both of Sun's hands, squeezing them tightly. "I'm not sure, but she needs us more than ever right now. Plus we need to fix that horrible looking knee of hers before she loses any more blood."

Sun nods. Both women take a deep breath and head into the small tent.

* * *

"Finish it Jack. Fix him." Tom demands coming up behind him.

Jack starts knowing he might get let off a little easier if Ben actually lives through the surgery. Jack pushes himself hard to repair this man lying in front of him. The kidney sack is repaired quickly and just in time. And after a few hours of surgery Ben's spine is scraped clean of the infectious tumor. Jack slowly sews up Ben's skin and closes it tightly so it won't reopen. Jack sighs. "It's done."

His hands start to shake, fearing what is going to happen next. He quickly places them on the table so they would stop, not wanting anyone to see how terrified he is.

"Good boy." Tom says coming towards Jack. He quickly grabs onto the back of Jack's scrubs and rams him into the wall extremely hard. Jack is too exhausted to fight back. Tom holds Jacks hands behind his back tying them tightly with coarse rope. It itches and burns his skin, but he's still stands strong. Even when Tom starts to press him into the wall even further, face squishing against the freezing cold bricks. He can already feel the bruise spreading its way across his entire body from the shear force of the impact.

"You are in a lot of trouble Jacky-boy. You'll be lucky if you just make it through the week. And after that stunt you pulled to get her safe, you can bet your ass that promise you made with Ben ain't being' kept no more."

Jacks jaw clenches tight. He suddenly gets the urge to fight, even though he is extremely weak at this point. Luckily Juliet notices what he is about to do. "Jack." She calls his attention. It is given to her. She shakes her head no. She sees' the passion and fight in his eyes. She didn't want him to fight because that would only kill him sooner which means less time for her to try and find a way for him to escape. And less time she got to spend with him. And she didn't understand this, she had never been so infatuated with a man that she would be willing to kill another to save the woman the man she loves, loves, and now risk her own life to save him. What the hell is wrong with her?

"Common, time to go back to your suite." Tom chuckles as he starts pulling him back roughly causing him to lose his balance. He lands on the floor with a loud thump and Tom doesn't stop moving. He drags Jack outside, across rocks and sticks, then over cold cement and throws him into the hydra. Jack is so utterly worn now from the long strenuous surgery, and then there was the emotional exchange he and Kate had shared, and now being dragged down into the hatch just made his day. He curled up into a ball in the corner and soon fell into a sleep filled with nothing but nightmares.

* * *

"You really messed up you're knee Kate." Sun states while wrapping it up with a clean cloth. She had just finished washing it out and now it was time to shield it from infection. "It could be slightly fractured but I don't know how to tell. The best I can do is wrap it and have you use the crutches."

When Kate had heard that tarp rattle earlier she quickly tried to wipe away all her tears. It didn't really work since the first thing Claire did was wipe away a few herself. Kate hadn't said anything since they came in, all she did was clench onto that damn walkie-talkie. In all honesty she never wanted to ever let that thing out of her sight. She just couldn't. It was her only way of communicating with him, even though she already presumed it was snatched out of his hands the second their conversation ended. She just needed it just incase they needed to get a hold of her, or tell her about Jack, or even make a deal to give him back. This was the closest thing to Jack she could get and she damn well wasn't going to let it go. It was as almost she couldn't breathe without him near her, she realized this now. This was her only source of Oxygen, and she was slowly dying of suffocation.

She winces as Sun tightens the material around her leg. She would take this physical pain over the emotional pain any day. Unfortunately on this day she had both.

"Common hunny, say something, anything. Let me know you are still capable of speaking." Claire begs holding tightly onto Kate's hand.

Her dazed eyes finally lift off the radio which she had been staring at for the last twenty minutes and meets Claire's pleading eyes.

"I should have stayed." Her words come out monotone. Almost as if she was a robot instead of a real person. She wishes she was a robot. No feeling and no attachments. No love.

"Oh Dear if you would have stayed they would have hurt you in front of him, he would have been so tortured seeing you in pain."

"No. Instead he's hurt knowing Sawyers hands have been all over me making me dirty and worthless."

"Don't you dare say that Kate!" Claire exclaims.

"Kate you are not worthless. Jack knows Sawyer is the type who would take you in a second if he could. And it did. It's just how he works. And Jack….well Jack would spend eternity waiting to just hold you for a mere five seconds." Sun says taking Kate's other hand in hers.

"There are over six billion people in this world and I had to crash on an island with Jack... The one person who has ever made me want to stop running, just for him. I thought it would take so much more to get me to stop, but it just took him, that's all. I just wish we could decide who to love. Life would be a whole lot simpler." Kate says with a sigh as yet more tears are released from her blotchy red eyes.

Sun looks right at her with all her wisdom and knowledge residing in her gaze. "But it would be a lot less magical." She says quietly, while gently rubbing Kate's back in small circles.

Kate feels Claire squeeze her hand tighter.

"I don't deserve you two." Kate simply states, tears still spilling from her eyes..

"No." Claire pauses. "You deserve more."

"Don't say that, it's not true." Kate says with sadness filling her voice.

"Kate, you have helped so many of us, I mean you delivered my baby for Christ's sake."

"I wanted to help Claire; I couldn't just let you deliver him yourself."

"But you could have."

Kate looks down and nods. "Yeah…yeah I suppose I could have."

There's a pause.

"Why did you have sex with Sawyer?" Claire blurts out.

"CLAIRE!" Sun exclaims smacking her gently on the arm.

"I was just curious, I mean he's good looking and all but why?" Claire continues, ignoring Sun.

"It just happened that way. They were going to kill him the next day and I felt as if I had to."

"That shouldn't be the reason you sleep with someone Kate. What if he got you pregnant or gave you an STD."

The tarp is brought back unexpectedly as Sawyer strides in. "Skedaddle." He says shooing the two women away. They get up giving Kate a glance. "We'll be back." Claire states and the two head out of the flap, leaving Sawyer and Kate alone.

"Did you talk to the others about getting Jack back?" Kate asks immediately.

Sawyer nods.

"And…" She impatiently waits for a response.

Sawyer watches as each tear cascades down her face and onto the blanket below her. It's almost as though there is a small puddle forming. Because he is not so quick to respond Kate takes a corner of the blanket and starts to fiddle with it in her free hand. Trying to help calm her nerves down.

"We are going to see what they are doing to him before we come up with a plan, to see the amount of urgency needed."

"What?" Her mouth drops. "IT IS URGENT! HE COULD BE HURT OR WORSE! AND HOW THE HELL ARE YOU GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING TO HIM?" She screams at Sawyer. He almost cowers in the corner from the animosity present in her voice.

"They have this other hatch, it has TV screens and Sayid is going to try and get a signal from the room he is being kept it." Sawyer explains.

"I can see him?" Kate questions as hope fills up her eyes like milk being poured into an empty glass.

He pauses. Knowing he might regret what he is about to ask.

"Freckles, can I ask you something?"

Kate nods. Eyes still brimming with hope.

"So were you just saving his life too? Or did you actually mean it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Come on freckles, I heard what you said to the Doc. I think every one but the good ole' Hero heard what you confessed back there." He pauses. "When I asked you if you meant it when you said it to me that kiss wasn't a yes, was it?"

Kate stops and looks down at her hands which still fiddle the blanket. She looks up into Sawyers sky blue eyes and saw nothing but sadness and pain. And all he saw were the tears that clouded hers, not being able to get past that barricade.

"I see." Sawyer utters.

"I do love you Sawyer, just not…"

"Like you love Jack." He finishes her sentence. He lets out a defeated sigh and takes her hand in his. "Well if he ever leaves you on a line hanging out to dry, you know where to find me."

"Thank you Sawyer."

Sawyer gets up to exit the tent. Kate stops him by calling out his name.

He turns to face her.

"When are we going?" She inquires.

"Tomorrow morning." He says with a slight nod as he departs. Leaving Kate alone and hopeful.

She couldn't sleep that night. These last few days were just so much to take, and plus the fact she didn't know if he was alright ate at her. Thinking he could be getting hurt or is already hurt right now with no one to hold him or help him tore at her heart. God she wishes she had stayed back even if it was dangerous.

Because of her inability to sleep, she slowly gets up and heads out the tarp. Crutches are laid next to her tent. Probably a present from Sun. She smiles picking them up, loving how they were so helpful with the pain, but hating how hard they were in the sand. She almost fell about four times before she got the hang of them with the unequal ground.

She took a short stroll to the waters edge and sat. She stared at the sky and how empty it seemed for the first time in weeks. Rarely any stars were showing their bright faces in the vast blue atmosphere. She felt the same way as the celestial sphere that surrounded their island. Completely bare of all forms of existence. But as if by chance, on this certain night she was shown her first shooting star.

_Make a wish Kate._

And so she did. She begged the heavens for Jack. That's it. The only thing she could possibly wish for. Not to get off this island. Not to be free. Not money or riches. Just for Jack. For he had given her the best thing she could ever wish for; a reason to stop running. That reason was love.

And after hours of just thinking about that one wish, praying it would come true, dawn started to spread over the island. Causing pinks and yellows to paint the sky.

Claire came down to the shore, seeing as Aaron had woken her up for a feeding and Claire just couldn't get him to fall back to sleep.

"Hey." Claire greets Kate as she slowly sinks into the sand next to the slender brunette.

"Hi Claire." She pauses and looks over. "And good morning Aaron." Kate says reaching over to tickle the small baby.

"We'll you're in a pretty good mood considering the circumstances." Claire says noticing the change in attitude.

"I got my period." Kate says with a grateful smile.

"Oh that's just wonderful." Claire says as a huge grin spreads across her face.

"And don't I know it." Kate says with a slight laugh followed by a happy sigh. "They are taking me to the hatch with the TV screens to see if Sayid can get a signal from one of their cameras. And we can see if he is being hurt…" She starts to tear up. "Or already is hurt, and if either of those are the case then it's really urgent and we have to come up with a quick plan that could be dangerous, or if he is still alright we have time and can think out a almost fault free plan."

"I hope it's the later."

"Me too." Kate sighs. "God do I hope it's the second one." Kate says as her eyes fall to the sand. She pauses. "I thought I was done crying, I don't feel as if there is anything left in me to cry out but now I have been proven wrong." Kate states as Claire looks over towards her. Frowning with sympathy. "

"Aw hunny, you have every right to cry." Claire puts an arm around Kate's shoulders.

"I just don't want to have a reason."


	5. Chapter 5

"You ready Freckles?" Sawyer asks coming up to Kate who is still sitting on the shore.

She turns her head slowly to look at him. "Are you kidding me? Did you really have to ask me that?"

"I suppose not, eh hell, just common." He lowers his hand down to meet hers. He pulls her up towards him. They are merely inches apart. He leans in and places a gentle kiss on her chapped lips.

"Now what in your right mind made you think that was the right thing to do just now?" Kate questions somewhat angrily after pushing him away.

"Just testin'." He smirks.

She gives him an annoyed smile. "Common Rico Suave lets go." She says with some firmness in her voice. Desperate to see Jack she starts to hobble across the sand at a fast pace to meet up with the band of adventurers.

"Geez Freckles, with you crutchin' that fast it's almost like we're gonna go see the Doc or somethin'." He leers.

She just wants to turn around and punch him. Now is not the right time to pick on her and he needs to know that. But she eventually decides against it knowing that will not get them their any faster. She just wishes she could get to the hatch without any of his almost constant sarcasm.

There is a silence as they continue walking towards the rest of the small group going to the hatch. It's sort of awkward in a sense. At least until Sawyer finds this the right time to make things even more awkward. "I know you don't love me like you love him but do you think it was a mistake?"

Kate stops, hanging her head so her chin is almost resting against her chest. To his surprise she is somewhat quick to answer. "I'm sorry Sawyer."

He shrugs his shoulders. "Eh no biggie. Not like I can't get it elsewhere."

Kate looks at him harshly. "You never change, do you Sawyer?"

"Hell nah." He says as Kate glares at him. But she can tell he is covering up the hurt that he is really feeling deep within him.

"Let's go." Locke calls out over everyone's voices. He raises his arm in the air and signals for them to follow him.

The group consisting of Sawyer, Kate, Charlie, Hurley, Sayid and Locke head into the jungle back towards the hatch they had just been in merely days ago when Eko had died. "This time no one stays outside." Sayid announces to the group.

"Yeah, we don't want another random death like Mr. Eko happening." Charlie states.

"What?" Kate and Sawyer shout in unison.

"Didn't anyone tell you, Eko just up and bloody died, we heard the monster and assume it was it who caused his gruesome death." Charlie explains as the two just stare at him with awe.

"Common, we best get going if we want to make it back before nightfall, it's a ways off and who knows how long we will be staying." Locke says as he starts to walk towards the direction of the hatch.

Unfortunately it was a very long hike with lots of obstacles. Especially for Kate since she couldn't place her right leg on the ground, she ended up having to maneuver three legs instead of the usual two. And two of the three were made of wood and not attached to her actual self.

After countless times being caught in someone's arms, saving her from falling, and too many trips to count, they finally make it towards the small hole in the ground. Kate goes towards the edge and lays her crutches in the grass. She starts to attempt to lower herself into the small circle.

"Wait…shouldn't someone else go down first just incase she um…" Hurley starts

"Just incase I what?" Kate asks somewhat on edge.

"Incase you fall do, you haven't exactly been any means of graceful on the way over her."

"That's an excellent idea Hugo." Locke states. "I'll go first." He smiles as he descends into the hatch. Sawyer helps Kate lower herself as soon as Locke hits the bottom. Luckily Hurley had suggested someone else go down first, because Kate in fact did fall as soon as her right leg made contact with the cold steel of the ladder. Locke had stayed underneath just in case and he had caught her. He set her in one of the two soft leather chairs and let her relax as everyone came down to join the duo.

Pretty soon Sayid and Locke were by the wires talking and putting different ones together, to attempt to get any sort of signal. Charlie was by the switches, flicking some on and off, hoping it would do something…anything. Hurley was sitting in the chair opposite to Kate; he joined her in staring at the screens, waiting for a bit of life to come to anyone. And Sawyer was smoking a cigar since he had found a case of them in the corner of the room, filling up the small space with its alluring smell and thick smoke.

"Anything?" Sayid asks eagerly.

"No, not yet." Answers an almost equally eager Hurley.

Charlie tries more switches.

"WAIT!" Hurley exclaims as everyone flips their heads towards one of the televisions. Sawyer and Kate instantly recognize what is on the small screen.

"That's the cages where those sons of bitches kept us." He announces loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Oh so that's where you two got it on."

Kate's head snaps towards Charlie. Complete dismay written across her worn features.

Sawyer, on the other hand is being the ass that he is and smirking giving a slight nod as well. Kate notices this then gives him the same look.

"GUYS!" Hurley calls towards the three that are too busy receiving death glares from Kate to pay attention to what's on the screen. They all look towards him, but he is too busy looking towards the screen to pay attention to any of them. "It's him."

As the words leave his mouth Kate swears her heart stopped beating. She didn't know if she wanted to look, but seeing everyone else's reaction upon seeing him she decides it's probably not that bad. And it wasn't. When she turned she saw him curled up in the corner sleeping. She got up, and despite the pain in her ankle she walked towards the television.

Her hand gently slid up from her side and caressed the screen. She does it as if he was really there, putting so much care and emotion in one touch. It was just a piece of glass, something that always seems to separate them but she had hoped he could feel it, even though she knew it wasn't possible.

But something then happens that startles all of the castaways who are down in the Swan. He springs awake.

"Jack." Kate says breathlessly. Knowing he is alright.

But there had been a reason he had sprung awake. And she was walking right towards him. "Is there volume?" Kate looks towards Charlie.

"Lemme check." He says as he starts to play with switches. Suddenly they can hear her walk across the floor as the door slams shut. She makes her way over towards Jack and squats next to him, holding onto his caved in shoulders for support. She starts to lean towards his ear.

"I'm sorry." She breathes out as she brings her face back to confront Jacks. He is looking at her questioningly and suddenly her lips crash onto his. And he doesn't protest as their lips begin to dance.

Everyone in that room, in that exact moment swears they heard Kate's heart fall out of her chest land on the ground, and shatter into a million tiny pieces.

His hands start to travel up her sides towards her neck. Kate cannot tear her gaze away, knowing it is just punishment for what he saw. But what he saw was worse, and it was with Sawyer, even just seeing a kiss felt bad she can't imagine what seeing him sleeping with someone else would feel like. But then, before it can go any further he slowly backs away. Kate lets out an audible sigh. Pure relief completely consuming her.

"What was that for?" He asks. Kate cringes after hearing the pure fear and exhaustion that lies within his voice.

She looks at him with sad eyes and backs away slowly. Her eyes trained on his figure.

The door then creaks open again, allowing Ben and two other men to saunter in. Ben stays towards the wall as the two men come towards him.

"Glad to see you awake." Jack says sarcastically.

"I cannot thank you enough Jack for what you have done for me." He starts. "It still hurts but I am healing extremely fast thanks to the powers that lie on this island, the healing powers." He raises his arms in the air.

"But…" Jack starts as he allows the two men to drag him towards the wall, push him on his knees, and tie his wrists to two pipes in the room with thick black leather straps, back facing Ben. He doesn't struggle which causes Kate to become terrified for what is about to happen to him.

Ben slowly makes his way towards Jack, pain evident in each step. He tries his best not to wince as he leans down towards Jack ear. "But you did a bad thing, which eventually lead to another bad thing." Ben states, allowing his gaze to land on Juliet for no longer than a second before returning to its previous position.

Kate watches fearfully as one of the men come up behind Jack, hovering right above him. And with a simple nod from Ben the man pulls out a whip from his belt and starts to lash on Jack.

Kate's eyes go wide like a deer caught in headlights as soon as the first hit happens. She claws at the television hoping somehow she could get to him. "JACK! NO!" She cries at the top of her lungs.

Locke immediately flips his entire being to Sawyer. "GET HER THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" He tries to shout over the loud wailing of Kate and the painful screams of Jack on the other end. Hurley had already hastened up the ladder, not able to see one of his best friends being tortured so inhumanely. What was he talking about, all torture was inhumane.

"WE HAVE TO GET HIM BACK!" Kate screams at the men who were intently watching the screen, cringing at ever snap of the whip. Kate is struggling in Sawyers grasp, trying to get out and be the closest to him she could possible get at this point, hoping he could sense her presence.

Hurley sits up top on an uneven stump, biting his nails down to almost the cuticles as he watches Sawyer literally drag an extremely emotional Kate out of the hatch. She flies to the ground out of his arms and is a complete wreck. Hurley and Sawyer stare at her for a few moments before Hurley jumps up going to her. He sits next to her, waiting for her next move. She shakily brings herself up on her hands, so her arms are straight, head bowed down facing the ground, half on her knees, and just sobs. Her entire self is quaking. Her whole body heaves a few time until Hurley decides the best thing for her in that moment, he grabs her and holds her like a small infant in his big arms. She clenches tightly onto his shirt, soaking it with her constant tears. He gently starts to rock her, wondering where this ability to nurture cam from. He didn't expect it, but he was so caught up in the moment that tears started to fall from his eyes, landing on Kate's tangled chocolate hair.

Sawyer, seeing Kate was being taken care of, headed back down towards the room. He noticed the men had turned off the sound and now were discussing ways to get him the hell out of there, which Sawyer honestly couldn't wait to do.

Juliet just seemed to look on, with absolutely no emotion. After seeing that kiss he would have thought she'd have felt something that entire time, hell even Ben flinched each time the cracking sound of the whip echoed through that empty room.

Sawyer decides not to look anymore; his stomach just can't take it. He goes towards the men.

"How are we even going to find where he is located, all Kate or Sawyer saw was the cages."

Sawyer cuts in. "That's not true; they took her to see him."

All the men's heads crank towards the distressed southerner.

"Think she has any clue how far she walked?" Locke asks as some optimism creeps its way into his eyes.

"Wait guys, they've stopped." Charlie says as he turns up the volume.

The men look towards the screen. None of them have looked since the lashing had started except for Sawyer who didn't last long, for fear of becoming, they themselves, emotional.

The sight made their stomachs lurch. No one spoke as the just looked on, seeing what was going to happen next.

Jack has blood coating his entire body. The slashes on his back seem to be bottomless and are emitting exceedingly large amounts of his crimson vital fluid. They watch as his appearance becomes more ghostlike than before. It eats at their skin seeing one of their own suffering this way. None so more than Sawyer, who only reason for escaping, was because of that man right there on the screen, lying in a pool of his own blood. No man should ever have to go through that amount of torture, especially one as good hearted as the Doc.

They watch as one of the men takes a large knife and instantaneously slices the straps that have been confining his wrists to any sort of movement for the last ten minutes. He slams down to the ground with a loud crack. His head hit the concrete causing him to lose even more blood than he already was from a gash across his forehead. They watch on as he doesn't get up, all expecting the worst.

They all hear a noise from behind them and they see Hurley lowering from the ladder, quickly followed by Kate.

She is a complete wreck. Her whole body is still trembling, and seems to have been for the last two days. She feels so horrible leaving him, she knows he told her to run but since when does she listen to his orders. She wished she would have listened to herself this time for sure, no matter how mad Jack got at her, she would at least have some of their anger released on her, making him have less on him.

She looks Locke dead in the eye. "What's happening?" She asks solemnly.

"They just stopped and cut him down." He responds.

"Freckles don't you dare look." Sawyer says forcefully, coming in-between her and the TV.

"I…I wasn't planning on it." She gets out between the deep breaths she has been taking to calm herself down.

The men watch as Jack lifts his body up, using just his arms. "What are you gonna do next..." He pauses to catch his breath. "Crucify me?" Kate has never heard his voice so broken, the pain is emitting to her through his voice. She wanted to be there with him, taking the hits for him, not letting him feel anymore pain because of her anymore. She then steps closer to Sawyer, burying her face in his back. He doesn't move, he just lets her hold on.

Ben purses his lips together and simply nods towards the men.

At the first hit Kate hears him howl in pain, she lets out a compressed squeak and buries even further into Sawyers back. It feels as if she's trying to dig out his insides so she can hide herself away in his carcass. He can no longer stand the pain of watching Jack being beat to death and knows Kate shouldn't be hearing this so he quickly flips around and covers her ears tightly. "DON'T LOOK KATE, DON'T YOU DARE LOOK!" He screams at her the instant he sees' her eyes try to dart over towards the screen.

His hands weren't helping. She could still hear the cries of absolute agony coming from the speaker on the wall behind her. She felt a million feelings coursing through her mind at that moment. The most predominant being regret, misery, heartache, anguish, horror, panic, nausea, but mostly helplessness. She needed to save him; she couldn't just listen as his back was completely shredded to a pulp. Not him, not Jack.

Suddenly the guys watch as Jack gets up the little bit of strength he has left and raises his right hand holding it out as if to stop them. And the man with the whip does so. "Is...Is that all you got?" The intensity eminent in his voice, but then again so was the absolute torment.

"Does the man have a death wish?" Charlie asks not thinking before he speaks, which causes Kate to bawl even harder, which no one thought was physically possible. But by this point, every one of them has tears in their eyes.

Three blows of the whip later Jacks idle form closes the small gap he had previously shared with the ground. The men all stare, praying he will show some sign of movement. Locke looks towards Hurley and nods to Kate then to the exit. He gets what he was saying and grabs Kate in his arms. "Common Kate." Hurley starts to drag her away but she fights his grip.

"NO!" She pauses. "Is he….is he alive?"

There is a long silence in the room. She then screams it at the top of her lungs… needing to know the answer. "IS HE ALIVE?"

"We don't know, he's on the ground and not moving. You really should leave now Kate, for your own well-being." Sayid tells her.

"I'm staying, for his well-being." She notifies the men. She pushes past them towards the screen.

"FRECKLES!" Sawyer calls out trying to stop her, the men all try too but it doesn't work. She's too fast. She reaches the television. Her hand flies covering her mouth at the sight of him and stumbles a few steps back bending over at the feeling of puke ready to evacuate from her tightly knotted stomach. She waits for the feeling to pass then stands up straight walking slowly towards the screen. God she wishes the trembling in her bones would just stop so she could get a good look at his chest so she can see if it is rising and falling, so she can see if he has any life left in that courageous being of his and if there is a bit of life left in him she wants to make sure its stays that way. She can't even speak. His back was a massacre. Her mind kicked into doctor mode, he needs medicine, he needs bandages, he needs lots and lots of stitches, he needs disinfectant…. he needs her! Damn it she needs to be there for him, fixing him, telling him it will be okay, that she is there for him, that nothing else is going to happen to him as long as she is there. But the problem was… she wasn't.


	6. Chapter 6

They all just looked upon her as she collapsed to the floor, shivering and weeping. She stayed like that for almost ten minutes, and no one did a single thing to stop it. They all just watched.

But suddenly whatever strength she had inside her was now coming out as she was too wiping the tears away from her stained face and picking herself off the floor. But they all knew that wasn't going to last for long because her voice was still quivering. "Now…what are we going to do to get him out of there?"

"Kate I strongly advise you head upstairs now." Locke mentions.

"Whatever you are about to talk about, you can say in front of me DAMN IT!" She was too passionate about this so Locke then gives in. Knowing this is going to hurt her, but it's her choice to stay. He has to keep reminding himself of that.

"Alright." He sighs. "We should stay here for the night, three outside and two inside. Take shifts; watch to make sure he wakes up. We plan from there."

"And if he doesn't?" Damn it Charlie…let your mouth slip again.

"If he doesn't, we shouldn't risk our lives."

* * *

"A few of them saw." He pauses. "She saw." He says everything in a whisper.

"What!" Juliet exclaims.

Ben takes a moment to stroll over to Jack who is on the other side of the glass, he is unconscious and on the verge of death. He looks down at him with pity and slowly turns back towards Juliet. His eyes flicker towards the camera in the corner. He quietly responds to her outburst. "They don't know we can see them. They are in the video station."

Juliet takes a step back. "She saw the whole thing?"

"No…no…they replayed the tape for me and they got her out as soon as it started. But she came back in and saw the finished product."

"Oh my God." Juliet lets out in a long gasp.

"Oh so now you are showing emotion, when it was happening you sure seemed like a cold hearted bitch, just looking on, no movement or even a single flinch." He drones out. "Now go patch him up." He demands.

She politely nods and heads out the door. Ben stays behind just watching Jack.

* * *

"I'll stay first." Kate states. And no one argues.

"Alright has-been, we'll leave ya'll too it." Sawyer says patting Charlie on the back as Hurley, Locke and himself head towards the ladder.

"What? Why me?" A shocked Charlie asks. Nervous to stay around Kate he her state of despair.

"Because you were elected short-stuff, deal with it." Sawyer turns around to leave. Charlie quickly grabs his arm and yanks him close to his face so Kate can't hear. "I'm no good with women who are full of emotion and all that bullocks."

"Sucks to be you then, don't it!" Sawyer smarts as he hastens up the ladder.

He turns around in the dank room to find Kate staring at the screen. He goes up to her and places one hand on her shoulder causing her to flinch. She had been so deep in thought she wasn't expecting it. She doesn't even look towards him. She just keeps staring at the battered and bloody man before her. He walks away to explore this little hatch a bit more. "Get up." She whispers as her lips inch closer to the screen. Thinking that maybe if she gets close it will be easier for him to hear. She was willing to try anything at this point. "Damn it Jack get up." She demands. Her hands reach up towards the screen and stroke his damaged figure. "GET UP!" She pleads at the screen, her jaw is hurting because it is clenched so tight, but she could care less. He has to wake up, he needs to wake up. If he stops breathing so would she.

Suddenly there's a loud creaking noise. Kate watches as Juliet shuffles across the room and to Jacks side and kneels on the moist cold floor next to him. She gently pets through his cropped hair and Kate's gut sinks seeing this. Who the hell was this woman and why was she caressing Jacks hair, why did she kiss Jack earlier, and why did Jack kiss back? The last question on her brain really gnawed at her.

The woman brings over a bucket and a cloth and starts to affectionately wipe Jack's back clear of the blood that had soaked his skin. It slowly dripped waterlogged down his sides making a tingly feeling to pass through his skin; this caused him to stir a bit.

Kate watched on with hope, knowing he was still breathing. Juliet smiled down at him.

"Why Jack, why did you do it?" She asks plainly.

He groans, still out of it.

"Why were you willing to die for her, a criminal?"

Kate's ears clearly perk up at this as she gets even closer to the television. Charlie notices her movement. "Didn't your mother ever tell you it's not safe to sit that close to the tele?" He asks trying to lighten the mood, but not accomplishing it.

"He's waking up." She states and Charlie hastens around the chairs and stands next to an eager Kate.

"What's happening, what's going on?"

She flips her head to face Charlie, aggravation writing boldly across her features. "SHHHHH!" Her head immediately turns back towards the television.

"Jack? Jack are you going to answer my question?" She asks, knowing she has to keep talking to make him come out of the shock he was now in from the sheer pain. "Jack?"

He grumbles in pain.

Out of the corner of his eye Charlie watches as Kate's body starts to quake. Wishing he could just stop it, somehow. But the only way is if Jack were here, and safe.

"That's it, that's it Jack, just wake up, let me know you are okay." Kate urges him on.

Then Ben appears from no where, standing right in front of their view. "Why is he holding a bat?" Charlie questions.

"Please don't, please don't hurt him anymore…please." She implores Ben. Suddenly he faces the camera causing Kate to jump. He gives them a satanic smile as he raises the bat. Next thing they know, the camera is no longer in service.

"NO!" Kate screams. And soon enough all three guys who were positioned outside were down in the hole. She falls to the ground as Charlie and Sawyer rush to her side. "He…he woke up." Is all that can escape her mouth before there is a loud crashing outside.

Locke's eyes widen as he attempts to climb up the ladder. "LOCKE! What do you think you're doing?"

"I want to see it, I need to see it."

Sayid forcefully pulls him down. "You're not going anywhere." Sayid tells the bald adventurer.

But after enough tugging on Locke he decided to stay down with them, knowing next time he will get to see it. He is completely determined. "Fine, I'll stay." He said looking over towards Kate, pity overtaking him.

She hoped that any second she would awaken from this nightmare; that she would wake up, walk out of her tent, and see his silhouette sitting on the shore as the sun rose in the distance with all its glory. She would go and join him, sit close to take his smell in, the smell of guava and determination. She would pick his arm up and wrap it gently around her shoulders, not rushing, just taking him in. He wouldn't know where it came from but she doesn't think he would protest. She would sit there with him all day if she could, no getting up for anything. Even if she had to pee she would hold in just incase she would come back and he would be gone. She wouldn't let him out of her sight or even out of her reach, just incase the nightmares became a dreadful reality she so feared and he would be ripped away from her once more, causing her heart to stop beating.

* * *

"Will you answer me Jack?" Juliet asks as she places the soaking cloth on his back once more. This time his winces at the touch, which means he is finally about to fully regain consciousness. "Jack…Jack are you awake?" She asks louder.

He moans as his eyes start to flap open. "Why didn't…why didn't you kill me?" He manages to get out.

She looks down at him worried.

"You should have killed me." He states as a tear travels down the bridge of his nose, landing on the hard concrete. He slowly brings his left arm towards his face, wincing at the extreme pain that is flooding through his body during the movement, and brings it up to a large cut on his head and groans.

She sighs seeing his inner torment seem to seep out with the warm red liquid from his back. This whole ordeal had completely wounded him, inside and out.

"How do you feel?" She asked, but as soon as the words escaped her mouth she was hitting herself over the head for asking…that had to be the stupidest question anyone could ask in a situation like this.

He slightly chuckled, which soon turned into a fit of coughs causing the pain to intensify. "Just like I look." He says between coughs. He body contorts in anguish.

"I'm sorry." She says with what seems to Jack, little feeling.

"No you're not." He responds back drearily. He takes in his surroundings. He was still in the hydra but something seemed different. It was more muggy than usual and his table was gone. Wonderful. First he loses Kate to Sawyer, then his determination, then his will to live, and now they even took his fucking table away from him. What else were they going to do next, take his first born? Like he would ever have a first born, not now that he was locked in here bleeding, not even if he was still at camp. Because the only person he wanted a first born with was in love with someone else.

He let out a long exasperated sigh. Clenching his fist tight as the pain worked its way through his body. Luckily Juliet had come in and bandaged him up, otherwise he might have bled out and he would not be lying on this fucking cold floor with no table and no Kate. Wait, he takes that back. They both would still be a reality, only he would be dead. Life's just fucking peachy.

Juliet lifts herself up with her arms, having completed bandaging his wounds. She starts to walk towards the door. "I'll be back with your lunch in a few minutes. And in around two days you can come eat with everyone else if you are a good boy."

Jack sneers at her. "Wonderful."

The door slams, causing Jack to twitch slightly.

* * *

"Common, there is nothing else we can do here love." Charlie says grabbing Kate's arm and lightly tugs it towards the ladder.

She just nods and follows the slight pull. Everything seems to be a massive blur, and before she knows it she is waking up the following day in her tent. _Maybe it was just a nightmare like she had hoped._

"Knock knock." A small voice comes from outside the tent.

"Yeah." Kate's voice comes out raspy.

Claire pulls the tarp aside and walks in, positioning herself next to Kate's make-shift bed.

"How are you? You seemed really out of it yesterday when you guys returned."

_It wasn't a nightmare._

_Shit. _This can't be happening, that couldn't have happened to Jack, it just couldn't have.

Claire's hand drapes around Kate's. "Are you alright?" She asks with concern.

Then like lightening it replayed in her mind, even though she didn't see much, he mind imagined the rest showing the finished product, his bloodied body lying lifeless on the floor. And before she knew it tears were streaming down her face.

"Hunny, they need to know if you remember how far it took you to get where Jack was, when they brought you to him, they are going to try and get him out of there." Claire says with a huge sense of hope filling her voice.

"Um…I…I don't know, it was a ways. But I remember we went left from the area with the rocks. And we didn't change direction much, not many turns."

"Okay hunny, I'll go tell them." She gets up and dusts the sand off her pants.

"No, I will, it doesn't matter anyways, I'm going with." She says getting up.

"Um hunny I don't think that's such a good idea."

"I don't care, he needs me." She brushes past the short Aussie and crutches out of the tent to find the guys."

"Kate, stop." Claire calls out. Kate rolls her eyes but does as she is told.

"What?" She sighs out annoyed.

"It is not safe for you to go, plus..." Claire starts

Kate huffs and starts to walk off, only to be stopped by Claire's hand on her forearm.

"PLUS, you will only slow them down, wasting precious time they need to get to him." She says with force.

Kate hangs her head. "Damn it."

Claire smiles knowing she is right, gladly winning Kate over. "Good."

"Hey." Says Niki who is coming over towards the two.

"Yeah?"

"Um the guys were just wondering if you've asked her yet." She asks shoving her hands in her pockets.

"Yeah, yeah I have. I'll go inform them" Claire says walking off towards the group of guys gathered watching the three.

Niki is about to leave as well until she sees the completely distressed look on Kate's face. "Don't worry, we're going to get him back." She puts her hands on Kate's shoulders.

Kate doesn't even know this woman, but as soon as she has contact with her she falls into her arms and sobs. The woman known as Niki rubs her back soothingly. "It's alright, its okay. We're going to bring your boyfriend back."

"NIKI COME ON!" Paulo shouts towards the woman.

She backs away. "Just think, when we return he might be with us." She says looking into Kate's pained eyes. She locks eyes with Sun and nods for her to come over.

"Th…Thank you." Kate manages to stutter out as the woman releases her. "I have to go now, but just keep the faith."

Kate bites her lip and accomplishes a small nod. Soon an arm is wrapped around her shoulders, she looks over and sees a worried Sun looking down at her as Niki and the men leave. Kate leans her head on Suns shoulder as the two watch as the group disappear into the jungle.

"It's going to be alright." Sun says in a soothing voice and holds Kate tighter to her.


	7. Chapter 7

_Alright, here is the very next chapter. I hope you enjoy. I'm sorry I haven't been updating much lately, I just got a new job and it takes away a good amount of my time. I'm trying to keep up best I can._

* * *

It has been an entire day since the group left on their trek into the jungle on the rescue mission. And that entire day Kate spent looking out at the vast ocean. The waves were higher than usual, and she wondered if that meant a storm was coming. She hoped it was, because she had a feeling people were sick of seeing her tears, and rain would be a perfect mask.

And just as that thought passed her mind, the heavens started to share their tears with the island. People ran into their tents for shelter and protection from the rain, but she didn't. She just sat; she noticed this rain was a lot colder than it had ever been on the island. Goosebumps found their way onto her soaked skin and shivers ran up and down her spine.

"Kate, you really need to get out of this rain, its freezing." Sun says placing her hand on Kate's shoulder.

"It's refreshing." Kate responded back.

"Kate you're going to get sick." She states the facts. Kate knew she was, for this rain was exceptionally cold.

"I don't care."

"Don't be so stubborn Kate, he could be on his way back right now and he doesn't need you being sick as something to come back to." Sun powerfully states. She was getting angry and Kate didn't really care one bit. But then what she said had a very large truth in it. He has had so much to deal with, her being sick wouldn't lighten the load. So Kate gets up and heads towards her tent. But as soon as she was about to pull back the tarp, something caught her eye. It was them.

She ran as fast as her broken body could carry her. They were carrying someone.

Kate's heart sank as she ran faster and faster, all her strength coming back to her. But when she reached them it wasn't at all what she expected. There was Paulo, dead. Niki was clenching his hand. She wanted to badly to ask about Jack, if they saw him, if they knew anything about him. But she knew she couldn't, not when this woman had just lost her husband. Her hand finds her mouth as she walks to the crying woman. Not a word was said as Kate takes her in her own arms. She thought it was somewhat ironic that just yesterday their roles were reversed.

The men take his body back into the jungle and place a tarp over him until they could dig a proper grave for the man. Sun comes up hearing a bit of commotion and sees what has happened. She goes over to Sawyer and looks at his arm, which is bloody but not two badly injured. "Anything?" She whispers to the tall southerner.

Sawyers head falls down as he shakes it from side to side.

Sun looks over towards Kate who is holding the sobbing Niki in her arms. She gives her a sad smile and Kate knows they didn't find him. Her heart aches but does not want to make this at all

about her, someone died and she has more common sense than that.

* * *

The door creeks open.

"Put this on." Juliet says throwing a new clean shirt towards Jack, who hasn't moved from that spot in two days.

Jack struggles to hoist himself up. He groans in pain the entire time, pain surges through his limbs and he wishes he had never gotten up. "Where are we going?"

"To breakfast." She says with a smile walking over towards him. He was having a lot of trouble trying to get the shirt over his head. She helps him slide it down and he winces as the cotton grazes his wounds. "Common." She takes his arm docilely in her hand and leads him out the door.

"What no rope or hood?" Jack inquires sardonically.

"No." She simply puts.

Jack shrugs and goes along down the long narrow hallway with her hand guiding him. His knees are weak and his whole body is aching but actually being in a social setting for once, that is not an operating theater might be somewhat nice.

They soon enter the rather large room, it is filled to the brim with people, some dressed nicely and some in rags. Juliet guides him to a table filled with raggedy people and helps him sit down. "Ill be back with your food in a minute."

Jack nods as she heads off toward the line formed in front of, what looks like to be a buffet.

"So you've won one of them over I see." A woman in what looks to be her early thirties says to him.

He looks at her questionably. He swears he has seen her before, but where he couldn't place it. "You're not one of them?" He asks.

She shakes her head. "None of us at this table are. We all got here by one way or another, and we were taken by them."

It really bothers him that he cannot think of where he has seen this woman before. She was attractive, slightly short hair, reddish brown. He knows he has talked to her as well because he somewhat recognizes the voice. "Were you on flight 815?"

She nods. "I take it you were too?"

"You were a flight attendant right?" He asks, hope in his eyes, finally remembering who she was.

She nods again. "Yeah. Yeah I was until they took me. I was in the tail section of the plane, we crashed in the water and some of us survived and swam to shore." She says with a smile.

"Were you with Ana Lucia?"

"Yeah, do you know her?"

He nodded his head sadly. "Yeah, I met her before the flight even took off and then they managed to make it across to the side of the island we crashed at."

"Really!" Cindy says with hope in her eyes. "How is she? And Libby? What about Mister Eko?"

"Eko is just fine, well at least last time I was there he was, and I'm really sorry but….Ana and Libby…"

"What? What is it? They didn't make it did they?"

Jack bows his head. "No…no they didn't. They were murdered."

"What!" She exclaims and is suddenly quiet as Juliet comes back over, placing a large plate in front of Jack. It was steak with green beans on the side.

"I hope you like what I picked for you." She coyly says as he nods. "I'll come to collect you later." She smiles as she turns to go towards her table.

"I think she likes you." Cindy says quietly leaning into Jack's ear.

He looks towards her oddly. "Nah, she just feels bad for me."

"Why would she feel bad for you?" She questions.

"Because of everything that has happened to me, or that they have done to me since I've gotten here."

"No, that's ridiculous because that woman is a cold hearted bitch. She isn't kind to anyone except for you." She stops. "What's happened that you would even think she would feel bad for you?"

"We'll..." He starts.

Cindy's eyes are wide and mouth's agape through the entire story. He heard about how her friends died, how they tried to use his friends against him only to end up seeing them screwing on the TV screens. She could tell how that ripped out Jacks heart, and she could tell that Jack loved this Kate woman, just by how he talked of her like she was an angel or something, even after breaking his heart. Then he continued to talk about the surgery and what he did to get her…them safe. And then last but not least the torture, leaving Cindy in tears by the end.

"Oh my God."

"Yeah." Jack says wiping the water away that was building up behind his eyes.

"Oh Jack, I'm so sorry."

"There is nothing you need to be sorry about, you had nothing to do with any of it."

"I know, it's just I feel bad since all that has happened to you and all we've had to do here is work hauling rocks."

Suddenly two small children that were sitting across from them start to fight over a chicken leg.

"It's mine! You can't have it!" The small girl yells.

"No, I want the leg; I don't like what I got!" The boy tries smacking the girls hand away.

"NO! It's MINE!" She pulls hard.

"ZACH! EMMA! STOP IT NOW!" Cindy yells across the table and both immediately stop. "This is Doctor Shephard, he is new here and doesn't need you two fighting."

"We're sorry. It's nice to meet you Doctor Shephard." Emma says yanking the chicken leg away from the boy once and for all.

"Yeah." Zach says bowing his head down.

"Call me Jack." He smiles at the two young ones. He turns towards Cindy. "Are they yours?" He asks.

"Heavens no. They were on the plane going back to their parents in LA, they were visiting their Grandparents."

He nods. "I see." He continues to eat his steak in silence the rest of the time spent down there, savoring the taste.

Seeing he has finished his food, Juliet makes her way over towards the table. "Alright Jack, time to go back." She grabs his arm.

"See you." Cindy says smiling at the handsome doctor.

He nods towards her with a small smile as he is taken away. They walk down the hallway quietly until the reach the set of double doors that lead into the hallway his door is in. "These doors will be locked, as well as all the doors in this hallway. The only doors that won't be locked is your door and the bathroom, therefore you don't have to go in the drain anymore." Juliet says with a small smile. "It has a shower too."

"Wow, so he has decided to ease up on me a bit."

"No, I had to talk him into it." She looks at him with a slight smirk. He meets her eyes and sees she really does care about him. He can't help but think of what Cindy had said, that Juliet actually likes him.

"Am I ever going to get out of here?" Jack asks, sadness clear in his voice.

She looks towards him once more before she exits the room. "I'm sorry."

* * *

It had rained all through the following day, but this time Kate didn't listen to anyone when they told her to get out of it. The only person she would listen to now was Jack, and he wasn't here. They couldn't even bury Paulo yet because of the weather. The rains were so fierce that it would wash sand and water right back into the grave, causing it to be heavier and harder to get rid of than before. So he stayed right off the tree line, covered by a blue tarp, slowly deteriorating.

But even though the perfect cover-up was falling out of the sky, her tears had finally stopped, though no one could tell as the rain pelted down on her drenched face. But she could tell. She had nothing left inside of her to cry out, she was completely empty. But something inside of her wishes she still could cry, loving the feeling as it distracted her a bit from her thoughts. She sometimes had even gotten to the point where she would count each tear that feel for him. One of those times she had even gotten to six thousand, four hundred and seventy three until Claire had come over to comfort her. After that she had lost count. But now she was all dried up, well in a sense. Water soaked her entire outer being, but inside she was as dry as the Sahara Desert.

Four days since she had last seen him, or was it five? She really didn't know. In all honesty she really didn't want to know. Her mind thought it was less, but her heart thought the complete opposite. It felt like years since she had seen him. She was missing him so entirely it was ripping at her heart strings. She wishes she didn't feel for him so bad, she wishes she could rip out all those feelings stored in her pained heart and throw them into the ditch like she would with any other guy, any other worthless, good for nothing, man…but Jack wasn't worthless or good for nothing. He was flat out amazing, and he made her feel just as amazing as he appeared to be. No one has ever been able to make her feel like he does, like her world could one day be perfect as long as she was with him. That she could be good, that she was worthy of something as perfect as him. Even if he wasn't as perfect as he seems he is still the best thing she has ever come across. No one has ever treated her with such dignity and respect. She has never seen so much love reflected in someone's eyes like his do when he looks at her. She has never felt so completely terrible for sleeping with another man, but when she slept with Sawyer the regret engulfed her. She has never fallen for someone so hard like she has fallen for Jack Shephard. And God does she miss him.

"Hey Freckles." Sawyer says plopping down next to her, sand immediately clinging to his soaked clothes.

She nods in response but doesn't turn to face him.

He sighs. "You really should go into your tent, you are going to get really sick if you just stay out here."

She doesn't move.

"And I was told you haven't eaten in days, so I brought you this." He places a mango next to her sitting form. "Common just look at me, let me know that you are still in there, somewhere." He almost pleads.

And it hurts her to hear him like this, Sawyer of all people begging her. So she decided to give him something. She turns and gives him a polite smile. He nods at her as she looks back towards the ocean.

"That's all any of us needed." He smiles and gets up, not even attempting to brush off the moist sand. "You really should get out of the rain though, otherwise I might have to force you."

There's a pause. "You know as well as everyone else I would be back out here in minutes." She says in a monotone voice.

He nods. "Well, if you need anything, everyone on the beach is willing to help."

"Thank you Sawyer." She says as he turns away to head up towards a waiting Claire.

"We'll?"

"We'll what? Does it look like she is comin' to her damn tent."

"Sawyer, you don't have to be so rude."

"Sorry."

Claire mouth drops at his apology. "Wait…Wait a sec…Did you just say you were sorry?"

"Yeah so, what's it matter?" He says grumpily.

"Wow this really is affecting you isn't it?" She pauses. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't talk." He sneers.

"I find that hard very to believe, sometimes you won't even shut up." Niki says coming around the tent, hearing their conversation.

Claire smiles a bit, seeing how someone is finally being tough towards Sawyer. He gets up and walks to his tent as the two women follow. "What are you broads followin' me for?" They make it to his tent and he goes in, the two women hot on his heels. "What the hell, that wasn't an open invitation."

"Sawyer, we can see you're hurting. Why don't you talk about it?" Claire says sympathetically. Seeing that he really is hurting over this, knowing there is a nice guy somewhere in there.

Sawyer huffs. "Fine, if I talk will it get you two off my back?"

They nod, smiles hidden on their faces.

"Nothin' leaves this tent, you hear me!" He demands.

They just watch him, knowing he is about to break. There was a long pause until Sawyer takes a breathe.

"He was my friend…is…is my friend. Even though it doesn't seem like it, he was…is the closest thing I got. Besides Kate who…she is just falling apart with this. She loves him, it's not hard to see, but after all the time on the island it took this for her to really realize it. She says us sleeping together was a mistake, and I, for the first time in my sexually active career, agree with her. She is the first woman I ever agreed with when it comes to sex being a mistake. She has grown damn far away from me because of it, and I think it hurt her more than anything. Hell that might have been what got her to realize her love for the Hero."

A tear falls down his cheek. He's quick to wipe it away.

Both girls feel his pain, never thinking he was capable of breaking like this. He had such a hard exterior that it was almost impossible to think he was soft like the rest of them inside.

He coughs which brings them both back to reality. "Eh, it was a good screw. So I really don't regret it. I've been wanting to do that to her since the beginning." There he goes, being the selfish pig they have all come to known. But the girls don't care, he actually opened up to them, of all people he chose them to actually show his true self to. Maybe it was because they were the most defenseless people on this island, Claire with her baby and Niki having lost her husband no more than two days ago, but they couldn't help but feel the pride that came along with this all.

Claire is the first to exit the tent. She sees Kate shivering on the shore. She runs into Jacks tent and grabs his blanket, knowing he won't need it right now, and thinking if Kate does go into her tent she will need her own blanket dry. She goes down towards her figure and places it around her shoulders.

Immediately she recognizes it.

"What if he comes back and needs it?" She asks clenching it tighter around her body, taking in the scent of Jack that still lingers there.

Claire sighs and walks away. Not knowing how to answer that one.


	8. Chapter 8

_Sorry it has taken so long to update. I got a new job and my life has been very crazy...but I hope this is a good christmas present for you._

* * *

It had been four days since they allowed him to start eating with the others. And each day he sat in the same spot with the same people. Cindy to his left, Zach and Emma across from them, and Saul to his right. He didn't know everyone else's names yet, for there were a lot of them. But they were all kind and welcomed him into their conversations. Allowing him to catch up with all the gossip.

After lunch that day he was returned by someone other than Juliet. He was curious as to where she was, seeing as she was the one who always took him places and brought him things.

"Where's Juliet." He asks curiously.

"It's her day off." The bearded man says throwing Jack into the hydra and slamming the door shut. He already missed her and her gentleness, since this had re-opened one of his many cuts that were still healing on his scarred back.

He really wishes he had his damn table back; it was much more comfortable than sleeping on the grungy floor. We'll screw that, he would much rather have a mattress…or Kate. Either one would make him ten thousand times more comfortable than this.

He slowly lifts himself off the ground and heads to the bathroom to clean up his cut. He wishes he had a shower or bathtub in there, because he is in much need of an actual good cleaning, unlike just trying to clean himself with tap water from the sink. He still had dried blood staining his skin from days ago, not able to get it all off. After his trip to the bathroom is over he heads back towards his room. But he notices something out of the corner of his eye, it's the TV room, and the door is cracked open just a bit letting the tiniest amount of light seep through the slice.

He peaks in there before entering. He tries the gun closet but it has been locked since the last time he was in here. He makes his way back over towards the screens. Visions fill his head about the last time he was in here, and what he saw. And it breaks his heart all over again.

He starts to play with switches hoping they had a camera at the beach, so he could just see her for a moment. Even thought she hurt him, and shattered his entire being he still needs to see her, see that she is alright.

Ben sneaks in behind him.

"We don't have any cameras there." He stops. "We like to give you all some sort of privacy."

Jacks hands rest on the table as his head falls down.

"You miss her don't you?" He asks with care and kindness in his voice. Something which he isn't use to anymore, especially when it comes to Ben.

He doesn't acknowledge him but Ben knows the answer as he watches a tear slide out from the corner of Jacks eye, landing on the equipment below tainting it a darker shade of black.

Ben sighs. Excitement building in his gut with what he is about to reveal. "Don't worry, you're sister is trying to take good care of her, even though Katherine is one of the most stubborn people we have ever come across."

Jack lets a slight chuckle escape from his lips, agreeing about how stubborn Kate is. But then he stops. "My sister?"

Ben smiles as Jacks attention is now on him. "Claire.' He says it like Jack already knew.

"What?" Jack says with complete shock.

Ben nods. "The daughter of Amy Littleton and Christian Shephard." His smile gets even broader.

Jack slinks down to the floor as his head falls in his hands.

'Nice talking with you, I will see you tomorrow." Ben smirks as he quickly exits the room. Leaving Jack lost in his thoughts.

"Sister." He says breathlessly. He soon falls asleep still in that position, pressed against the counter in the small room. And eventually tomorrow comes.

Ben is the first to enter Jacks little domain.

"I see you never left." Ben snaps waking Jack up. "Get up."

Jack does so drowsily. Thinking Ben was taking him to breakfast this morning, but Ben has other plans. He takes Jack by the arms and shoves him into the Hydra landing by the feet of the same two men who whipped him that dreaded few days ago.

Jack rolls his eyes, and before the men can lift him up and attach him to the poles he knows what is coming. The leather straps dig the cuts in his wrists deeper, and the pain from just that almost sends him into agony. But then the first blow of the whip comes and he can fell the tingling of the blood trickle down his spine, down his lower back and then drip onto his ankle, which is directly beneath his back.

* * *

It had now been two weeks since Kate and Sawyer had returned and the entire camp seems to be going insane, the rain won't stop and the only actual trained Doctor is still being held hostage or is back in the real world. None of them know which. And Sun is left to hold down the fort, being Jacks right hand man when it comes to medicine. But she knew remedies, not which medicine was which. So today when a bloodied up Ed came to her with a slashed arm, which he got slipping and tumbling ruthlessly down a hill, she had no idea what it was she was supposed to give him to stop infection.

Kate had made it her duty to become Sun's assistant, she needed some form of distraction and this somewhat helped. Except that it was her assistant with medical things, and anytime they had a question she wanted to go find Jack and ask him, but then it always dawns on her she can't because he is not there.

She was so use to him being her stability, her rock, that without him there her entire world came to a halt.

She is sitting closely next to Sun, handing her bandages as she wraps Ed's arm.

"You know the saying is true." Sun blurts out, interrupting Kate from all thoughts that were going through her head at the moment, which at the moment they were on Jack. At all moments they were on Jack.

"Which saying?" She asks coming back into reality.

Sun sees the distance in her eyes and frowns, but she continues anyways. "The one that says, you never really know what you have got until it is gone." She says with a small sad laugh.

Kate nods quickly. "Yeah…yeah it is." Right then a single tear slips from her right eye, it was the first one in almost a week and a half. And then more follow. Ed is a little freaked out but knows what it is about. Sun takes her hands off Ed and places one on Kate's shoulder, and the other on her knee.

"I….I have almost forgotten what his voice sounds like. Sometimes I am lucky enough to remember but then soon after it disappears." She says with a choked sob, Ed takes this as his cue to exit from the tent. "I'm slowly forgetting all the little details on his face. And I just can't take it. I need to remember."

"Kate…it's alright." Sun says trying to calm her down.

"NO IT'S NOT!" She yells. Sobs racking her entire body now. "He is there, so clear when I'm dreaming, perfectly fine, not a single injury. He is all there, perfect as he is. But then I wake up, and I can no longer see his face without it being distorted and blurry, or smell him around me anymore, or hear the soft tone of his soothing voice. It all just vanishes and I can't remember anything, except the fact that I saw him exactly how he is in my dreams. And I yearn to keep that picture in my mind, to smell him or feel him… but I can't and it drives me insane."

Sun takes her tightly in her arms. She doesn't say anything, knowing nothing can help. But as soon as she is holding Kate she can feel the heat radiating off her body. "Kate, how much have you been outside lately?" She asks concerned.

Kate looks down and doesn't answer.

"Kate you have a fever." Sun states feeling Kate's forehead.

"It's not a big deal." Kate says as Sun heads out the tent hurriedly.

"Um Claire?" Sun asks outside Claire's flap to her tent.

"Come on in Sun." She looks up at the Korean woman enters the tent. "What's up?"

"Um, how much has Kate been outside lately, how much has she been sleeping, and how much has she been eating?"

"Is something wrong with her?" Claire asks worriedly.

"She has a horrible fever."

"Oh dear. We'll to answer your questions she is out there almost all the time, all night. She rarely ever sleeps unless it's out of pure exhausting. And she hasn't eaten in days, but we have been trying to beg her but she just won't."

Sun sighs.

"Wonderful." Claire states as Sun exits her tent. She instantaneously spots Kate on the shoreline, in the pouring rain which has been going almost none stop for two whole weeks.

* * *

She had known Jack for almost three weeks now. And she knew when he didn't show up for all his meals for about two or three days he had been tortured. It happened frequently lately, and she hated facing him when he got back each time, knowing he must be in an awful amount of pain.

Today was no different. He could sense her timidity when he sat down next to her, skin of his arm brushing the skin of her shoulder. He watched as a small blush crept to her features. He smiled at this, some sort of emotion shown towards him that wasn't hostility or pity, it was refreshing.

He is silent for a while until he speaks. "It doesn't hurt anymore."

She looks towards him questioning.

"The scars are so rough it's hard to penetrate them."

"Oh." That's all that she felt could escape from her lips, not knowing what to say.

"It's been a month since they started, and they seem to be laying off a bit so it's almost as though I'm becoming immune."

Cindy knew that this all was a load of crap. She knew that the lashings were so often it didn't give the wounds proper time to heal and turn into scars. She could tell by his face that it was worse then ever. The thick whip hitting inside an already open wound, latching itself onto the skin that loosely hung around it, causing it to pull it off even further.

And he could tell she knew. But the kids also knew that the Others were hurting Jack, he had to keep it light at the table to keep them from getting to upset. For they had grown on him since he had gotten there. Plus there was the fact he has always wanted children for himself, and he knows he will not last much longer here with the rate they are afflicting almost constant torment on him. Mutilating his back almost every chance they can get.

Jack didn't touch his food once that day. Cindy notices and brings her hand to his. He needs this comfort more than ever now. She gives him a sad smile and he returns it. He gives her hand a tight squeeze and she can tell he is about ready to break. She admires his strength for holding it in, knowing he is for the kids.

"Jack?" The young boy asks.

"Yeah Zach?" He looks over towards him, masking the pain on his face with a small smile.

"Are you going to eat that?" Zach asks pointing towards his chicken leg on his plate.

Jack shakes his head and lifts up the plate. "No…no you can have it." He passes the young boy the plate, receiving a joy filled thank you and large smile in return. This brings an actual smile to his face seeing the joy a simple piece of food can bring this one boy, even after he has had his own large amount of food.

Just then Juliet comes over to him. "Come on Jack, I need to talk to you." She grabs his arm and forcefully lifts him up. She drags him out to the hall and into a closet.

"I'm going to your camp." She states bluntly.

"What?" He inquires.

"You heard me, I'm going."

"Why."

"Never mind that, Alex is going to try and get you out of here. She is going to try and help you escape. Take this." She hands him a small pin. "Its part a two way radio, I have the other piece and when you escape radio me and I'll help you find your way back."

"Why are you doing this?" He asks taking the small pin from her.

"Because I am not like them Jack, I'm good." She smiles slyly at him. And before he knew it she was kissing him hard. Her hands find their way up his shirt and she slowly places her fingers gently on his back, but he can't feel it. He knows she is doing it but he is completely numb to her touch. But he gives in with the kisses up until she pins him against the wall, causing pain to blast through him. He groans in pain as he pushes her away. And he hates to admit he enjoyed it up until the almost unbearable pain. But he didn't get why he pictured Kate's face in his head while it was happening. It had been so long since he had seen her but there she was, beautiful as ever. He knew even after all this time he still felt for her, a lot. But he forced himself between the flirting with two other girls and the lashing that he would let her go; he needed to for it just gave him more pain thinking of her.

But now that there was him escaping in the works her face flashed before him every time he blinked. So what does he do, he shuts his eyes, taking her in.

But he knew he shouldn't get his hopes up, she was with Sawyer, she had chosen Sawyer. How could he even look at her the same knowing that redneck's hands have been all over her, touching her, feeling her. It was too much to bear. It made his stomach lurch as he felt his insides ready to make their way up through his throat and until Juliet.

He just had to let go, even if he got back. He thought he could never look at her the same again. And he couldn't stand that. This was going to be so damn hard. That is if he actually escapes. If she is just not yanking his chain.

"I don't believe you." Jack states.

"It's a leap of faith Jack. Have faith in me, in this."

"You sound like Locke." Jack huffs.

"Well Locke is a man of Faith, you know that."

"Well then it's too bad I'm a man of science. I have no faith."

"There is a way to be both." And with that Juliet grabs his arm once more leading him back into the mess-hall. She disappears soon after waving to him before she walks out the door.


	9. Chapter 9

_I am so incredibly sorry it has taken so long to update. I have been a very busy bee. Today I have strep throat which gives me good reason to update since I canceled everything for today and I think you all deserve an update._

* * *

"THERE'S SOMEONE HERE!" Charlie calls out towards the group who were standing a few feet away from Kate, discussing her well-being.

They all rush over longing for the best, Kate, even though now weak and frail joins them as well, her heart swelling with hope. And she is not all too shattered when she sees the blond woman walk out from the trees following an excited Charlie.

She hastens over towards her. "Where's Jack?" Kate demands as she uses what little strength she has left to burst through the small crowd.

"I don't know." Juliet lies.

"What? But you brought me to him, how can you not know?" Kate asks angered.

"Because they won't let me near him anymore Kate, not after that day. I haven't seen him since."

"I saw you in that room, why did you do that to him?" Kate says as tears fill her eyes at the memory.

Juliet looks down. "Why do you care Kate?"

Kate looks at her, completely blown away by the combative tone in her question. "Because I…"

"Don't even say it Kate, we all saw what you did with Sawyer, even Jack. You broke him Kate. If you really did feel what you were about to admit too, you would not have hurt him like that in the first place" She states aggressively.

Kate's breath hitches in her throat.

Juliet turns towards Sawyer. "Hello James." She greets as if she is already annoyed by him, as she pushes her way past the two and heads to the open area on the beach.

"Now what the hell is good ole' Juju doin' here?" Sawyer asks watching as the woman walked towards Locke.

"I don't know, but I don't believe her." Kate says as the tears work their way down her cheeks onto the soft sand below her.

* * *

"Jack." A small voice comes from out of the bathroom door. "Jack come here." It calls again.

He slowly gets up off the dense ground and heads towards the voice. "Who is that?"

"Shh, come in here."

He does as he is told and is greeted by a young girl with dark hair and blue eyes. "Are you Alex?"

She nods quickly.

"Look, in three days I can get you and your friends out of here."

"Who?"

"The woman and two children." She answers.

He nods liking where this is going. Knowing now he couldn't leave those three behind, they have helped him far too much.

"Okay, how."

"You just wait for my voice and I will help you from there, just be ready."

Jack nods as she runs and unlocks the door, quickly leaving and locking it behind her. This was going to be a long few days.

* * *

"Kate?" Juliet says coming up next to Kate who was sitting out on the shoreline yet again, this time it wasn't raining.

She looks up at the blond woman. "What do you want?"

Juliet hands Kate some juice. "I just want to say I'm sorry for before, it just had been a long journey and I was taking it out on you."

Kate eyes the juice suspiciously, and frankly she doesn't care if there is anything in it so she drinks. It feels so wonderful as it slides down her dry and achy throat, she hasn't had juice in a while and this juice seemed sweeter than anything else she has had on this island.

"You know you seem really sick and should be getting some rest and proper nutrition."

"What are you, a doctor?" Kate asks bitterly.

"As a matter of fact I am." Kate's head snaps towards the woman.

"If you are a doctor how come you know nothing about Jack, You were in there when that man knocked out the camera. Was he okay after that, have they done it since?"

"I don't know Kate, I haven't seen him since." She lies again. Kate could tell she was lying through her teeth. But she was too weak and tired to fight it. God this woman was such a manipulative bitch and Kate couldn't stand it. She knew Juliet knew about Jack, she just didn't want to share.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you out with your questions more Kate. If you need me I'll be by Claire, she needs to be told something that is somewhat important." She gets up dusting the loose sand from her pants.

Kate wasn't even going to ask, knowing Claire would tell her later on.

And she was correct. Ten minutes later Claire was sitting next to her, Aaron tightly clenched to her chest, tears running down her cheeks.

"He's my brother." She says almost in a trance.

"What?" Kate asks wondering what in the hell the small blond woman was going on about.

"I…I knew my dad didn't want to be my family because he had a whole other family. We were his side family, me and my mum. But I never thought I would meet my sibling in a plane crash we both miraculously survived." She says in disbelief. "And now…now I don't think I will be able to ever talk to him or even see him knowing the same blood runs in his veins again."

"Claire, what are you talking about hunny, who is your brother?"

"Jack." She says simply.

Kate's mouth falls open.

"I knew his first name was Christian, and I remember when I was younger my mom said his last name in passing but since I've been here I never connected the two. His last name was Shephard, he was a top surgeon in LA, he had a son and a wife, and that is all I knew about him. So I did know I had a brother, I just never in a million years thought it could be Jack."

A small smile hints its way on Kate's face.

Claire looks at her strangely, and Kate gets the hint.

"It's just, that means Jack is Aaron's Uncle." Kate says as her smile gets a little bigger.

Claire soon joins and she herself starts to smile. "You're right." She pauses. "I wanted him back badly before, for everyone's sake and especially yours, but now I want him back even more than that for mine and Aaron's sake."

Kate nods and takes Claire's hand. Claire notices there is no strength in Kate's grip and her smile immediately fades.

"Please take care of yourself." Claire says almost pleading. "If not for me, do it for my brother." She stops. "That is so strange to say."

Kate swallows hard. She seems to stop and think for almost a minute before she looks Claire dead in the eye. "Alright." She nods her head. "Alright." She says again, this time with a hint of a sigh towards the end.

"Good." Claire says with a smile. She gets up and helps Kate up with her. The second Kate gets on her feet she is back on the ground again. "Whoa!" Claire says kneeling towards the fallen woman. "Kate are you alright?"

And that's the last thing Kate remembers before her entire world goes black.

"She is getting sicker, and I don't know how to help." Sun states outside Kate's tent where they all are gathered discussing their current predicament.

"We'll didn't you go through Jacks medicine?" Charlie asks.

"Yeah, there is nothing for fever in there, and I don't know what else can be used. I'm not a doctor."

"We'll you are the closest we have Sunshine." Sawyer states. "Unless we ask Jules."

They hear a moan from inside the tent.

"We are just going to have to wait it out and keep her warm, we can take shifts. I'll go first, then Sun, Charlie you go after sun, then Niki you can go, then Hurley and then Sawyer, alright." Claire forcefully states, finally deciding she will be the one to take action. "Sawyer, you can ask Juliet about the medication."

They all nod in agreement. "Can I go after Hurley instead?" Niki asks sending a glance towards Sawyer.

"Yeah, sure Dudette, I don't care."

She nods smiling towards Hurley.

"Alright then." There is another moan. Claire ducks into the tent and goes towards Kate's side. She places a cool cloth on her head as Kate squirms under it. She hasn't woken up since her fall earlier that day and seems to be getting worse as time went on.

"Why did you do this to yourself Kate, it isn't helping anyone. I know you are hurting but taking it out on your body is not the way to go sweetheart." Claire says wiping off Kate's neck which is soaked with sweat. 'You have to swear you will abide by your promise when you wake up, you have to take care of yourself.

About ten minutes later Sawyer enters the tent with a bottle of pills in his hand. "She says if she takes one of these twice a day she will be better in no time." He extends his hand towards Claire as she takes the bottle and pops it open.

"Can you hand me that water." Claire asks Sawyer pointing towards a water bottle in the corner of the tent.

He nods and hands it to her. She crushes up the pills placing them in Kate's mouth. "Kate you have to swallow darling, alright. It's the only way for you to get better."

She pours the water into Kate's mouth and some dribbles onto her chin, causing the coldness to run down her neck. Kate springs up panting. "KATE!" Sawyer and Claire both exclaim.

"Hunny are you okay, you had us really worried" Claire says brushing some of Kate's hair out of her face.

"I'm so tired and dizzy." She states as her eyelids bob up and down.

"Lie back down Kate, you need your rest." Claire pushes on Kate's shoulders forcing her back on the bed. She grabs some fruit that is placed next to her and mashes some up in a coconut for Kate. She starts to spoon feed the weak woman lying in front of her. Kate starts to choke on the first bite.

"Sawyer can you get behind her and hold her up."

He just nods, holding in his sick remark that is floating through his one-track mind at this point, knowing this is definitely not the time. He positions himself behind her as Claire continues to feed Kate. Once and a while she chokes on the food and coughs it back up. Claire is pretty talented at this since it's almost like feeding Aaron, just much bigger and she helps a bit more with chewing.

"It's sad." Kate says breathlessly.

"What is hunny."

"That…that I don't even have the strength to feed myself." She states.

Claire smiles warmly at her. "It's alright hunny, that's what you've got us for, plus I'm use to it."

Kate smiles weakly up at Claire, knowing what she is talking about. "Thank you." She says quietly.

"Of course hunny. I know you would do the same for me." She smiles.

Kate gently nods as her eyes start to close. Soon after she is softly snoring as both Sawyer and Claire exit the tent.

"God I am so worried about her." Claire says starting to pace.

"Geez with all that pacin' I'd say you were as bad as the Hero."

"It runs in our blood." She states quickly stopping herself from saying too much.

"What'd you just say?" Sawyer asks as he tilts his head to the side a bit.

"Nothing." She says as she starts to walk away.

"Ya'll are related?"

Claire stops and turns towards Sawyer. "Well I suppose it was going to get out sooner or later, yes we are related, it turns out he is my half brother I knew I had but never met."

"You serious?"

Claire nods fiercely. "Uh-huh." She says as she turns to walk away.

"This Island keeps getting weirder and weirder." Sawyer drawls out and heads off to go and both Juliet for the hell of it.

And he finds her starting to build her own shelter, right next to where Jacks still stands.

"Hiya there E.T. Whatcha' doin' so close to the Hero's tent?" He asks.

Juliet rolls her eyes. "Why E.T.?"

"Do you really think I'd answer that?"

"Yes I did, since I asked politely."

"That has never worked on me before and it ain't gonna work now."

"Why are you here James?"

"To ask you the same damn question." He sits down so he is flat out in her way.

"Do you want to move?" She scolds.

"Nah, I'm pretty cozy here actually." He says leaning back on his arms and sprawling his legs out in front of him. She kicks his legs out of the way so she can continue with what she was doing.

"So Barbie, ya gonna answer my question?"

"Not until you answer mine James."


End file.
